2,536 residents of war-affected Donetsk and Luhansk regions received financial assistance from Vatican. Within the framework of “Pope for Ukraine” Initiative, these people in need (pensioners, disabled persons, single mothers) living on the frontlines received financial assistance amounting to 2,470 UAH (around 90 USD). CBN-Emmanuel as Executive Partner of this project, helped find the most vulnerable persons in need of help. The project covered 30 settlements of the front-line zone.
Fuel, food and medicine appeared to be the most urgent expenses for the people living on the frontlines, and this support from the Pope Francis came right on time.
The S. family moved from Crimea to the village of Orlovske back in 2013. Their daughter with her husband and children came with her but it was difficult for the children to study in war-affected Donetsk and the young family was forced to return to Crimea. Nella and Volodymyr stayed here on the line of fire. Like for all other villagers, there are no jobs available in the area. The couple breeds small cattle and does some farming. “We provide ourselves with milk, vegetables and fruit. We sell our farming goods in the city market and it gives us some money for living”, the villagers say.
The woman shares that she suffers with high blood pressure., especially now that the weather is unstable. She has to buy expensive medicines that help with the blood pressure. She says that she will use the money provided by “Pope for Ukraine” through CBN-Emmanuel Therefore, the money that the Emmanuel Association, within the framework of the Pope for Ukraine to buy medicines and food. She also wants to save some of it for the future.
The large family of K. lives in the town of Avdiyivka, Donetsk region. The father has a disability and he is not able to get a job. The whole family is forced to live in one small room with stove heating. The family is poorly supplied for the upcoming winter: the coal is too expensive for them to buy so they have been using a self-made electric heater to warm themselves. As a result, there was a fire in their apartment. Fortunately, the children were at school at that time and nobody suffered.
“Praise God we are all alive, but our belongings and documents were burned down”, – the couple shares. The family lost the little that they had. Children were left without clothes, shoes and beds. Local Christians assisted the family with food bags provided by CBN-Emmanuel. They were also able to find the needed clothes for the kids but the family’s need is still grave. The family became received financial assistance from “Pope for Ukraine” Initiative. “Our kids are still young and they get sick quite often. Of course we have to buy medicines. We also plan to buy winter shoes for the kids. Thank you very much – this money is a very important support for us! “
We are grateful to Pope Francis and all Catholic Christians from Europe who answered the Pope’s call for help the conflict-affected people of Donbass!
