Primary task in situations of armed conflict is to help civilian population – NGO “Eleos-Ukraine”

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The NGO aims at educating people on their rights in the situation of stress.

Kyiv, October 26, 2016. In situations of armed conflict, the primary task in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and the so-called “gray zone” is to help the civilian population. This was stated by Sergiy Dmytriev, project director, head of “Eleos-Ukraine” Board, at a briefing held at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “We pay special attention to public health issues,” he noted. Many people do not get proper medical care, many have lost medical records. Also, in addition to grants, citizens of Ukraine are involved in raising money, medicines and articles of daily necessity. Kseniya Shapoval-Deynega, Manager of Public Health program initiative, International Renaissance Foundation, said that there are people with chronic diseases, cancer, requiring special attention and expensive treatments. Support of the community is extremely important in this case.

Oleksandra Ashrapova, coordinator for regional development and project monitoring, “Eleos-Ukraine” program manager, described the principle of their work, “We formed two teams – in the village of Bilovodske and the city of Mariupol. Each team included a lawyer, a medical consultant and a regional coordinator. “Each family receives assistance according to their needs. An effective network of providers of comprehensive services has been formed over this time. “We managed to combine religious communities, NGOs and government agencies in a single mission – to help people whom the military conflict brought into difficulties, and who for different reasons cannot leave the occupied territories,” informed Oleksandra Ashrapova. According to her, currently the assistance has been provided for more than 500 people; more than 200 people have received special professional assistance.

“Many people, regardless of their religion turned to me, as to a leader of Luhansk  Eparchy, and to my priests” […] – noted Afanasiy Yavoskyi, Bishop of Luhansk and Severodonetsk, leader of Luhansk  Eparchy (Severodonetsk).

Liudmyla Duvanova, “Eleos Ukraine” lawyer (Bilovodsk village, Luhansk region), informed that a person in stress neither understands her/his rights, nor understand not know where to go. “Today, we have compiled more than 45 lawsuits, 5 of them are pending, the rest – satisfied,” she informed. It is very difficult to obtain birth and death certificates and to restore the lost documents. That is why lawyers are providing assistance in this.