The Irish Red Cross has provided an update as part of their appeal for donations to aid their Ukraine Crisis Fund.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Irish Red Cross thanked the public for their 'great outpouring of solidarity' which they said 'will be critical for our successful humanitarian response in delivering assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine over the coming weeks, months, and years'. They added that in just two days, the Irish Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal has seen donations to its website www.redcross.ie and to Revolut heading for €1.25 million.
They explained that the funds will be used to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items.
The Irish Red Cross offered their heartfelt thanks to the Irish people for their generosity, but added that while Ukrainian airports are closed and transport systems are under pressure, "sending physical goods is likely to add more stress to the situation on the ground". They added that getting the goods into a country in crisis can be difficult, as is distributing them to the people who need them most. They wrote:
Experience from other crises shows that many of these items will end of up in landfill and will not help the people you wish to support. Providing cash contributions to organisations like the Red Cross or other organisations responding to the crisis in Ukraine allows the Red Cross to source solicited standardised emergency relief goods locally. This system means everyone in the affected communities gets the same, high-quality items.
You can read the full statement and find out more about the work Irish Red Cross are doing in Ukraine
HERE.
Header image via Instagram/irishredcross
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