Help Ukrainian children now

Can you imagine running through the crossfire of war, completely alone?

This heartbreaking scene became all too common on our TVs and phone screens in February of 2022. But people like you did something about it.

Last week marked two years since the start of the war in Ukraine. Working with supporters like you since day one, Plan International has reached more than 650,000 people affected by this crisis, including 149,000 girls. We’ve provided vital mental health counseling, protection from gender-based violence, education and essential period products for girls.

Your support made it possible for us to partner with 49 local organizations and implement an immediate emergency response. We are so grateful for your help in protecting children and families in Ukraine, as well as refugees in Poland, Moldova and Romania. Thank you.

Gender-based violence is the most underfunded area across the global Ukraine response – yet at least 3.6 million people in Ukraine need protection. And according to our local partners, cases of rape are going unreported because girls and women feel that “there are many other pressing issues and this is not a priority.”

Plan, as a girls’ rights organization, is uniquely positioned to respond to gender-based violence like this in humanitarian settings. Adolescent girls often fall through the cracks of humanitarian responses, but their protection is a key priority in Plan’s work.

And, our specialty in humanitarian settings is providing safe spaces for mental health counseling to help young people recover from trauma. From sensitivity to loud noises to staying indoors for fear of landmines, young people have spoken to us courageously and candidly about the toll conflict has taken on their mental health:

“Where my village was being bombed, I kept praying for the bombs to fall every 10 seconds, instead of every 2 seconds. Now my mental health is different. I think 95% of young people are not okay with their feelings. Neither am I. I haven’t seen my family in over a year, and I am here alone.” – 18-year-old girl from Kherson, now living in Romania.

Thank you so much for your commitment to making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

With Gratitude,

Frank Manfredi

VP, Humanitarian Programs

Plan International USA