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Ukraine: A Conflict that Tugs at Our Heartstrings

Ukraine. A country that we were previously unfamiliar with has now become the centre of much of our attention. Thanks to extensive media coverage, we can now access more up-to-date information of the situation and follow the latest development in greater detail, which confirms that the impact and chain reactions of this conflict are inevitably going to affect the whole world.

Since the conflict in Ukraine broke out on 24 February this year, many women have fled the country together with their children. The United Nations estimates that over 4.5 million people, about 90% of them being women and children, have already left Ukraine for neighbouring countries such as Romania, Poland and Moldova. Over 7 million people have become displaced within Ukraine and are in immediate need of assistance.

In April, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that, while most attention has been focused on the effects of the war on the people of Ukraine, “We are now facing a perfect storm that threatens to devastate the economies of developing countries”. The conflict is going to worsen poverty, hunger and social unrest.

Worsened food and economic crises

Ukraine and Russia supply 30 per cent of the world’s wheat and barley, one-fifth of its maize, and over half of its sunflower oil. These crops are essential food sources for some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, providing more than one-third of the wheat imported by 45 African and least-developed countries. Therefore, the United Nations estimates that the crisis in Ukraine can pull some 1.7 billion people, or over one-fifth of the global population, into poverty, destitution and hunger.

At the same time, Russia is the world’s largest natural gas exporter and second-largest oil exporter. As these are exported to other parts of Europe through pipelines in Ukraine, the crisis is also causing a rise in fuel prices. In fact, since the start of the year, wheat and maize prices have increased by 30 per cent, oil prices have gone up by more than 60 per cent over the last year, and natural gas and fertiliser prices have more than doubled. These, in addition to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, have greatly increased the burden of Europe and the rest of the world in the current economic and food crises. The impact that this conflict has brought on food supply and the economy has been rarely seen in previous conflicts.

Children are hurt, both physically and mentally

According to UNICEF, as of 10 April, the conflict has already killed 142 children and left another 229 wounded, but the actual figures are likely much higher. Hundreds of schools and educational facilities have also been attacked or used for military purposes. More worryingly, about two-thirds of all children in Ukraine have become displaced since the beginning of the conflict. They have become homeless and their lives have been turned upside down in an instant, causing them immediate and long-lasting physical, emotional, and mental harms. When fleeing, children and family members can even be separated in the process, increasing their vulnerability and risks of violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation.

“All my friends are in the city. I love my friends. They could die,” a teary 17-year-old Ivan tells our responders after arriving in Romania.

“For now I would just like all of this to stop,” says Diana, 9, who is staying at a refugee transit station in Romania. She has no idea when she will see her father, her beloved cat or her home again.

Conflict brings evident pain on children’s body and mind. May we all continue to care and commit to helping children overcome their traumatic experiences.

World Vision’s response

To cope with the challenges of this new refugee crisis, World Vision is conducting a multi-country response operation to respond to the needs within Ukraine, as well as to support refugees in Romania, Moldova, Georgia and populations feeling the impacts of the crisis in Eastern Europe.

In Romania, we are providing Ukrainian refugees with food, hygiene kits, baby supplies and shelter support. We have set up safe spaces for children to play, so they can feel protected and supported. As children have gone through the experience of fleeing and being separated from loved ones, we are also providing psychosocial support for them, in addition to building on our significant local expertise in Romania to support their education.

World Vision Georgia is providing psychosocial and education support to Ukrainian children stranded in the country, and has also provided cash vouchers to meet the basic needs of those affected. In Moldova, we are also providing food and essential support to refugees.

For decades, World Vision has been providing assistance for refugees in different parts of the world, and strives to be “first in” and “last out” in our response operations. Besides carrying out emergency responses to meet immediate needs, we also fund middle- and long-term projects through the World Vision Partners programme to support children and families from places such as Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria, enabling them to gradually recover and build a future.

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The one thing that we cannot lose

In 2014, when Nikolay was only 10 months old, he was brought to the capital Kyiv by his family as they escaped the bombardments in their native Donetsk. They eventually moved to Odesa.

As conflict began in Ukraine again in February this year, Elena, Nikolay’s mother, immediately remembered the fear and uncertainty she felt when they last fled their home. But this time is different. The conflict is further into Ukraine than it was before. Instead of going to Kyiv, their only option was to go across the border. Elena’s husband and father remained in Odesa, sending her on ahead to Romania to protect Nikolay. At only 8 years of age, Nikolay has had to flee from conflict for a second time.

“It’s like a nightmare. Back in 2014 you had the possibility to go to other cities in Ukraine, but now there aren’t cities where we can be safe,” Elena says. In addition to this, Nikolay is no longer a baby. Now eight years old, he has an understanding of what is going on back home and worries about his father and Odesa. Elena believes it is important for Nikolay to understand. She tries to explain the conflict to him, hoping that he will know the truth about what they are going through.

Elena is eager to return home to Odesa and is strengthened by the knowledge that at least for now, their home is still standing. She is insistent on remaining positive in spite of everything that has happened and wants the world to remember the importance of hope and kindness.

“You can’t lose hope. If we survived the war in Donetsk that means we can do it again. We have to have hope and we can’t lose our kindness. We must help other people and not let this experience harden us,” Elena explains.

At the temporary shelter where Elene and Nikolay are taking refuge, World Vision has been delivering food, hygiene items, telecommunications equipment and baby supplies to provide timely essential supplies for families.

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Refugee is not just a term

No one would want to leave everything behind and become a refugee in order to survive if there was a choice. The World Refugee Day, observed on 20 June every year, aims to raise public awareness towards the issue of refugees, while recognising and honouring the contributions that refugees make. Despite their hardships, refugees still have the right to dream and do something for our world, they just need to first overcome the obstacles that have got in their way at the moment.

“Refugee” is a term that is seemingly common, yet not so familiar to us on second thought. Nevertheless, it is a term to which we tend to add stereotypes and tags. According to the definition in the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is someone who “owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country”. For refugees to seek protection in a fair and effective manner, find a refuge and live in safety and dignity, governments need to enact relevant policies and implement them properly. It also means a lot to refugees that they are not forgotten by humanitarian agencies and people around the world as time passes.

Six years ago, this writer was able to visit the Azraq Refugee Camp in central Jordan, meeting refugee families from Syria and learning about the education and water projects that World Vision was implementing in the camp at the time. I remember how orderly the rows of cabins were built. As we stood on the pathways between some of those cabins, we were met by scores of refugee children and their families who had come out to greet us from all sides. I was particularly impressed by a father, who placed his child in front of my camera. Despite the language barrier, his gaze seemed to be conveying a message that needed no translation: “Please tell the world not to forget about my child!” I have not forgotten, and it is my hope that you too would remember the refugee children of Ukraine and other parts of the world.