Christian Aid, the international development charity, has donated £1m for civilian first aid kits in Ukraine. The money comes from the DEC emergency appeal that has raised more than £200m so far.
The funds have gone to Crown Agents’ emergency response in Ukraine. They are working directly with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health on the ground to supply 10,000 trauma kits for civilians caught up in the fighting.
Patrick Watt, Christian Aid’s Interim CEO, said: “The British people want us to respond swiftly inside Ukraine after witnessing the appalling suffering of Ukrainian civilians. We’ve done that today in a way that is tangible and meets an urgent need.”
Fergus Drake, Crown Agents’ CEO, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Christian Aid for its donation that will help save lives. Some members of our Ukrainian team are still in Kyiv, bravely delivering support to the Ministry of Health. We also have our satellite offices in Lviv and in Poland and Slovakia to help manage our response to this crisis.”
Christian Aid’s existing relationship with Crown Agents means the first aid kits can get to Ukraine’s Ministry of Health as quickly as possible. Crown Agents has been working with the Ministry for more than five years and in the country for 25 years.
It’s one of a limited number of organizations that can offer support inside the country. Ukraine’s Ministry of Health has kept in constant touch with them, sharing details of the medical equipment they require. Right now, the Ministry’s top priority is individual first aid kits. With the funding from Christian Aid, Crown Agents can now respond rapidly due to its established network on the ground set up to pass on the lifesaving supplies.
See also: 🔴 LIVE UPDATES | Humanitarian response to Ukraine crisis