Support Children and Families in Ukraine

Dear Friend,

Children in Ukraine have endured more than two and a half years of violent conflict. In 2024 alone, an escalation in hostilities has led to missile strikes and drone attacks almost weekly. Schools and health facilities continue to be targets of these attacks in addition to key energy infrastructure, impacting crucial services like water and heating systems. School closures and limited access to devices and connectivity have led to the loss of learning, skills, and social development. Millions of people have been displaced from Ukraine into neighboring countries – Europe recorded more than six million refugees as of June 30 – and continue to face financial and shelter challenges in the countries into which they have been displaced.

Children in Ukraine have endured more than two and a half years of violent conflict. In 2024 alone, an escalation in hostilities has led to missile strikes and drone attacks almost weekly. Schools and health facilities continue to be targets of these attacks in addition to key energy infrastructure, impacting crucial services like water and heating systems. School closures and limited access to devices and connectivity have led to the loss of learning, skills, and social development. Millions of people have been displaced from Ukraine into neighboring countries – Europe recorded more than six million refugees as of June 30 – and continue to face financial and shelter challenges in the countries into which they have been displaced.

Thanks in part to your support, UNICEF is providing and improving access to critical services throughout Ukraine, including those related to water and sanitation, health care, child protection, and education. UNICEF continues to collaborate with and survey communities to ensure support services are as impactful and accessible as possible. From January to June 2024, UNICEF supported over 461,000 children and caregivers with crucial supplies for health facilities, including the provision of generators to ensure 337 of these facilities are able to operate without interruption during blackouts of increasing frequency. UNICEF has delivered hundreds of thousands of lifesaving vaccines to protect children and prevent the spread of disease in Ukraine. Also in the first half of 2024 within Ukraine, UNICEF supported 356,534 children through education interventions, including early learning, and increased investments in digital learning for the thousands of students who access education either partially or entirely through online modalities. UNICEF programs provided 361,424 people with mental health and psychosocial support services in the first half of 2024, and continue to support children and their families with psychosocial activities for children, child-friendly spaces, individual and group counseling, and resource-building for parents and caregivers. UNICEF reached nearly four million people with improved water and sanitation services from January to June 2024.

As part of the ongoing refugee response in neighboring countries during the same time period, UNICEF reached 32,984 women and children with primary healthcare, 268,098 children with formal and non-formal education, and nearly 7,000 people with critical water and sanitation supplies. UNICEF also reached nearly 143,000 children and caregivers with mental health support in the first half of 2024. UNICEF and partners continue to work together to address the holistic needs of children and their families as the war in Ukraine threatens their wellbeing.

Thank you for standing in solidarity with Ukrainian children during this challenging time. As a result of your support, children are better able to survive and thrive with dignity in the face of crisis. u.

In partnership,
Marisa Ferguson