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Ukraine: Shelter programme helps families rebuild their homes damaged by flooding or shelling

In southern Ukraine, the Danish Refugee Council has undertaken several shelter programmes to alleviate the consequences of shelling and extensive flooding following the disruption of the Kahovka hydroelectric station.

Posted on 24 Jan 2024

Among these initiatives is a programme focused on light and medium repairing, operating in Mykolaiv Oblast and the Velykooleksandrivska hromada in Kherson Oblast. Utilizing an electronic form, DRC evaluates applicants based on projects’ criteria, prioritising the vulnerabilities of families, such as disabilities and income levels.

“Successful applicants undergo a technical assessment of their buildings to estimate the scope and cost of necessary repairs. Subsequently, a humanitarian aid contract is signed, and the request is forwarded to the contractor for execution. This programme, designed for 1,200 houses, has already seen repairs in nearly 300 homes in 2023, with ongoing work on other objects,” explains Taras Dubenko, Shelter and Infrastructure Team Leader.

In response to the destruction caused by the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, DRC collaborated with the local NGO City of Strength in August 2023. Heavy equipment was deployed to clean flooded streets in Kherson, disinfect areas, remove debris, and dry affected houses. The organisation also extended grants to 850 families to aid them in coping with the aftermath of the flooding, with an ongoing grant programme in the Kherson Oblast to assist in home rebuilding, offering UAH 92,000 ($2,500) in assistance.

Tatiana’s family is one of those who received a grant to rebuild their home. Her house in the Zymivnyk village in Kherson Oblast was flooded up to the windows because of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

"It is very painful. We worked for twenty years to build this house, and everything was destroyed in one moment. There was water in the house for a week. We pumped out the water, threw away the spoilt things, cleaned and dried the walls," says Tatiana.

"We have no other place to live, so with the grant we made up two small rooms, painted and plastered the walls. It’s not the time for the beautiful renovations and decor we used to do, because the shelling continues”.

Photos of Tatiana’s house flooded after the Kakhovka dam disruption and during the renovations made possible with the DRC grant.

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Distribution of Emergency Shelter Kits

Moreover, in areas affected by shelling, DRC delivers emergency shelter repair kits containing tacks, OSB sheets, boards, wooden slats, film, construction foam, etc. These kits have been delivered to locations such as Stepove and Ochakiv in Mykolaiv Oblast, with over 2,000 kits distributed in Mykolaiv and Kherson Oblasts in 2023.

"In the event of emergencies, DRC coordinates its actions with other humanitarian organisations and works closely with the regional authorities. Based on this cooperation, we organise the distribution and provide the affected people with repair kits adapted to the needs of the family as soon as possible," says Oleksandr Havrylov, Livelihoods Team Leader.

Furthermore, in collaboration with Mykolaivvodokanal (a utility company that supplies Mykolaiv with water), DRC is actively engaged in a project to replace worn-out water supply networks, with the tender process underway for a water supply line replacement in the Korabelny district of Mykolaiv. This is in addition to other projects to address the water supply issues in Mykolaiv.

DRC previously helped set up 50 filtered water points and financed the purchase of dozens of pumps and kilometres of pipes to replace those corroded by salt water in the water supply net.

Shelter programme in southern Ukraine

The successful implementation of the Shelter programme in southern Ukraine is made possible through funding from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, the European Union, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Novo Nordisk. Additionally, the activities receive support from private foundations and individuals, primarily in Denmark, showcasing a collective effort to address the pressing needs of the affected communities.