World Vision is one of many charities to welcome the $30 million funding injection from the Australian government for humanitarian aid targeted specifically at helping protect Ukrainian children.
The federal government announced the boost to humanitarian aid as a part of a broader package that included further funding for lethal aid such as ammunition and body armour to enable Ukrainian forces to repel the Russian military from its territory.
Daniel Wordsworth, the chief executive officer of World Vision, returned from the Romanian-Ukrainian border over the past week and he said the charity had argued for a $10 million allocation of funding to help provide health and protective services for children in that region.
World Vision is currently working in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova at a time when at least 3 million refugees have left Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country.
The charity is providing a range of services for children that include child protection services, mental health and psychological support services, and the creation of spaces that are child friendly.
These services are provided in conjunction with the supply of food and water, and heaters for the mother-and-child rest stations at the border
“We have been advocating for the Australian Government to make humanitarian aid to Ukraine child-focused and to direct $10 million to help children. Right now, Ukraine’s children are at the greatest risk of physical violence and psychological trauma,” Wordsworth said.
“I met with the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Volodomyr Shalkiviskyi, on Friday afternoon to discuss how we can further support Ukrainian families fleeing the conflict.”
Organisations working as a part of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership will receive a portion of the $10 million allocation of humanitarian funds to continue work in the region.
“Protecting children — and continuing to replenish hospitals in Ukraine with food and supplies due to rising hunger — are critical issues. We stand ready to work with the Australian Government to help Ukraine’s children,” Wordsworth said.
The Australian Humanitarian Partnership has also said that they were in receipt of a $2 million donation from the federal government funding that would assist the various organisations that are involved in the alliance to continue to both raise funds and provide assistance.
“This funding will be used to help attract matched private donations – thus helping to increase the impact. Now we are asking the public to give to this appeal so we can help even more people,” Kerren Morris, the alliance’s executive director, said.
Organisations that are the members of the Alliance are ActionAid, Act For Peace, ADRA, Anglican Overseas Aid, Australia for UNHCR, Australian Lutheran World Service, Baptist World Aid, Care Australia, Caritas, CBM, ChildFund, Oxfam, Plan International, Save the Children Australia and Tearfund Australia.
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World Vision wants Australian government to play key role in aid to Afghans
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