Rotary Support for Ukraine – Update as at 9 April 2022

Article by PDG Peter Garnett, Regional Rotary Foundation Coordinator

The United Nations is reporting 10 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine because of the war, including more than 4 million people - mostly women, children and elderly people, who have fled Ukraine for neighbouring countries. An estimated 6.5 million people are thought to be displaced inside Ukraine. All are in dire need of emergency aid. 

Rotary clubs in Europe and around the world have stepped up their relief work, some working on the ground to help displaced families. The Rotary Foundation has created an official channel for donors around the world to contribute funds to support the relief efforts underway by Rotary Districts and has designated the Disaster Response Fund as the main avenue for contributions.

Here are the fundraising figures (as at 5 April 2022) for contributions to the Disaster Response Fund to provide response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Rotary’s Disaster Response grants will provide basic items such as water, food, medicine, and clothing and for providing immediate aid to support refugees of the war in Ukraine. To date, 31 grants have been awarded totalling $900,000 to support activities in 11 countries.

Thank you to those Districts, Clubs and Rotarians in our Zone 8 – Australia, New Zealand an Pacific Islands - who have already contributed to support the people of Ukraine

Now through 30 April, 2022, Rotary districts can transfer unallocated District Designated Funds (DDF) to support the Disaster Response Fund, directly supporting these Ukraine-specific humanitarian grants.

Clubs and Rotarians can contribute to the Disaster Response Fund in support of humanitarian relief in Ukraine and surrounding countries through the accounts set up by RAWCS (Australia), RNZWCS (New Zealand) or direct online at my.rotary.org/en/disaster-response-fund

All funds need to be received into the Disaster Response Fund by 30 April, 2022 in order to qualify for use in support of the Ukrainian humanitarian relief efforts.

Visit https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-responds-ukraine-crisis and follow Rotary on social media to stay updated on how clubs can get involved and what actions Rotary members have taken and the impact it has had for people in the region.