The Green Cross continues its activities in Ukraine and is grateful to all partners and colleagues for their support and coordination. Despite difficult situations, we try to continue our work in the framework of statutory activities, tasks and obligations to partners. In 2019, an audit was conducted in the organization and following the recommendation of auditors and lawyers, additions were made to the organization’s Charter. Understanding and realizing all the relevance of social assistance for Ukrainian families, the Board of Directors and members of the organization decided to continue their activities.
At the coordination meeting participants discussed deliverables and strategies of the project implementation in the participating countries: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova. Representatives from three countries were invited to the workshop. The results of the previous work and the project implementation strategy for each country were the main objective for the meeting and further coordination. V. Shevtsov (Belarus) told about: - the main activities of the project for 2020-2022; - changes in the logical framework; - project indicators; - stages of project development by years; - piloting incubators and developing local markets and communities; - capacity building of schools
Green Cross Ukraine, charity organization continues to cooperate with partners and operates within the framework of the International Social and Medical Care Program (SOCMED) thanks to the financial support of Green Cross Schweiz, and also carries out activities within the framework of the international technical assistance project “EU4Youth: School Garden for Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development”, the purpose of which is to promote the expansion of employment opportunities for young people living in rural areas, including those affected by the Chernobyl accident and their active participation in society and the economy through the development of their advanced labor skills, organizational and entrepreneurial skills, promotion of promising professional competences. Assistance and equipping of ≥4 rural schools / educational centers with school gardens where it is supposed to transfer advanced organic agricultural experience and to open production incubators on their basis for practical training of rural youth on modern organic agriculture.
Green Cross Ukraine continues its activities within the framework of the international SOCMED program and makes efforts to helping families who find themselves in difficult life situations.
Social assistance is provided to the most vulnerable population affected by the Chernobyl accident, the rehabilitation of children and adolescents, medical assistance, professional counseling and psychological support for mothers with small children, large families, low-income families, as well as environmental education and upbringing, raising awareness in order to disseminate knowledge about a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition and the implementation of measures aimed at environmental protection.
April 26 is the Memorial Day for the victims of radiation accidents and catastrophes. This year marks 32 years since the Chernobyl disaster – the largest one in the history of nuclear energy in the world.
On December 7, 2003, the General Assembly of the United Nations supported the decision of the CIS Council of Heads of State on the proclamation of April 26 as the International Commemoration Day for Victims of Radiological Disasters and Catastrophes, and also called upon all UN member states to celebrate this International Day and to hold appropriate events within its framework. In December 2016, the Council proclaimed April 26 the International Commemoration Day for the Chernobyl disaster.
The scale of the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster is significant for the environment, human health and development of society. As a result of the release of radionuclides into the environment, an unfavorable ecological situation has arisen on the territory of Ukraine, resulting in both external exposure of a multimillion population of people and long-term entry into the body of radioactive isotopes, which forms internal irradiation.
As a result of the Chernobyl disaster, about 5 million people were affected. Near 5,000 settlements of Ukraine, the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation are located in the contaminated territories. In Ukraine the number of victims of the accident is 1.7 million people, including more than 300,000 children affected.
October 2, 2017 the election of new members to the GCI Board of Directors took place as part of the Agenda at the General Assembly of Green Cross International which was held in Geneva, Switzerland. Bolivia joined the active members of the Board and Ukraine was supported for the first time during the last 25 years in the history of Green Cross. Ukraine is represented by Professor, Doctor, Ambassador for Peace Maksym Tymoshenko, President of Green Cross in Ukraine.
"This is a remarkable breakthrough for Ukraine and big chance that we awaited for 25 years! The country was recognized in general. People who are engaged in our work made a lot of efforts to achieve this result. Now we can raise environmental issues related to Ukraine in the UN and UNESCO. I will do everything possible to make our voice heard. Because we just weren’t heard before. Now the situation will change” - commented Maksym Tymoshenko.
In the coming years, the newly elected member of the GCI Board of Directors intends to draw public attention to the Green Cross activities, to promote the image of the organization and seek for opportunities to support existing programs and to develop new directions.
Green Cross projects keep being implemented in Ukraine thanks to the coordination and financial support of Green Cross Switzerland, under the leadership of the International Socmed Program Director Maria Vitagliano and the GCCH Team.
The relevance of the implementation of the International SOCMED Program in Ukraine is determined by the constant need of the population for social and medical assistance, which is subject to negative environmental impact due to the Chernobyl accident and other unfavorable factors.
