#StandWithUkraine - Helping Ukraine Crisis Refugees
/At Earth Changers, we’re horrified with everyone else at the events unfurling in Ukraine. Whilst we don’t have any partners in Ukraine, we have many colleagues and friends in neighbouring countries. Vicky (founder) helps coordinate the European Ecotourism Network - with many members in Eastern Europe. Below is a selection of resources we have pulled together: please let us know of more to add.
Friends and colleagues are reporting a challenging situation on the European side of borders as many people arrive towards Ukraine with donations of goods and wanting to help. Whilst coming from loving intent, coordination is required, and donations of goods have to be local need-based. Financial donations are very, very welcome, as they can be spent on what is needed, when.
At Earth Changers, as a positive impact tourism business, dedicated to sustainable development through travel, we know that sustainability - let alone cross-cultural, cross-border sustainable tourism - can never be achieved without peace and justice - it’s SDG 16 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Agenda 2030:
“Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
Without a peaceful and inclusive environment, development isn’t 'sustainable’ ie. ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (UN WCED, aka The Brundtland Report, 1987) – lack of justice doesn’t meet the needs of the present, and may compromise the future.
Tourism builds bridges, doesn’t blow them up. We are thankful for strong institutions who share values of inclusivity, security, the rule of law, human rights and good governance such as we find in the European Ecotourism Network below. If you’d like to make further suggestions to add to the list below, please do let us know.
From: European Ecotourism Network #StandwithUkraine
The European Ecotourism Network is devastated to witness the invasion of our friends’, neighbours’ and colleagues’ country of Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the people.
A decade ago in 2012, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of over 60 years of peace, reconciliation and democracy in Europe, a wonderfully complex mix of dynamic countries with much-loved diverse historic cultures.
At the European Ecotourism Network we unite with a common purpose and vision of enjoyment and benefits of a sustainable world, through thriving nature and culture with positive impact on local communities. We know peace is a prerequisite to the triple bottom line of society, environment and economy. Conflict, destroying people, planet and profit, will never be sustainable.
In ecotourism throughout Europe, effects will be felt but we will continue to bring together people on a human basis of common values and ethics. Only ceasefire and peace will enable sustainability.
As a network representing and supporting rural communities throughout European countries, many of our members are involved in helping initiatives to support the Ukrainian people.
Please find below a list of resources compiled by our members, with members of Travel Massive, to help Ukraine.
Please note this list is not exhaustive and does not constitute or imply our endorsement or due diligence of these initiatives.
We invite you to join, support, share and suggest further:
Please all sign this Change.org petition for Making Tourism a Force for Peace https://www.change.org/p/tourismforceforpeace
In Ukraine:
A list of Ukrainian businesses to support: https://www.safetydetectives.com/blog/supporting-ukrainian-businesses-charities/
Cobblestone Freeway Tours, a Ukrainian travel company running tours to Ukraine for over 10 years; office in Lviv is now a refugee camp; foundation shifted to focus on supporting people who need help. For donations: bit.ly/3pjNNZC
Come Back Alive - the biggest organization providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine: https://www.comebackalive.in.ua/
Euromaiden Press - supporting independent journalists from Ukraine: https://www.patreon.com/euromaidanpress
Flixbus bus rides corporate.flixbus.com/flixbus-supports-ukraine/
Help For Africans Leaving Ukraine: http://africansleavingukraine.com/
Insight - helping LGBTQ+ people covering 11 regions of Ukraine, including Donbass: https://www.insight-ukraine.org/en/join-donate/
MacPaw Development Foundation for humanitarian aid: https://humanitarian-aid.macpaw.com/
Kyiv Independent Journalism: https://www.patreon.com/kyivindependent
Kyiv International School - Real ways you can help Ukraine as a foreigner: https://kyiv.qsi.org/discover/stand-with-ukraine
Outdoor Equipment Suppliers: Can you donate, to help Nikita Balabanov to equip forces?
https://sustonmagazine.com/2022/05/27/ukraines-volunteers/Pechersk School International, Kyiv - Stand with Ukraine list of resources: https://www.psi.kiev.ua/community/stand-with-ukraine
Sunflower of Peace - first aid medical tactical backpacks for paramedics and doctors on the front lines: https://www.facebook.com/donate/507886070680475
Ukrainian Freedom Fund - bringing supplies and materials to those in need: https://www.ukrfreedomfund.org/
Ukrainian Red Cross Society https://redcross.org.ua/en/donate/
Ukraine Shelter - Help for Ukrainians displaced: https://www.ukraineshelter.com/en
United Help Ukraine - providing life-saving individual first aid kits and emergency medical supplies to front lines and humanitarian aid to civilians: https://www.facebook.com/donate/337101825010055/
Voices of Children: https://voices.org.ua/en/
World Central Kitchen, serving thousands of fresh meals to Ukrainian families fleeing home as well as those who remain in the country: wck.org
Travel Organisations helping Ukrainian Refugees:
Airbnb - host a stay for refugees or relief workers, or donate:
https://www.airbnb.org/get-involvedDeutsche Bahn (German rail) free tickets to refugees travelling from Poland to Germany:
www.bahn.de/info/helpukraineEurostar free places to London for Ukrainian refugees:
https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/ukraine-refugees-eurostar-free-tickets-london-paris-amsterdam-russia-1493770Hospitality for Ukraine - global directory of hospitality companies offering free accommodation for refugees:
https://hospitalityforukraine.com/Hospitality Helps - hotel rooms in Europe for Ukrainian people in need:
https://hospitality-helps.org/Host4Ukraine - a platform for connecting refugees with hosts / space to stay:
https://www.host4ukraine.com/Ukrainian Railways + Rail operators from Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania and Czech republic are offering train travel for free for Ukraine refugees:
https://www.railtech.com/all/2022/02/27/european-operators-offer-ukrainian-refugees-free-travelStay the Night - hotel, hostel, hosts, accommodation providing accommodation for refugees:
http://staythenight.net/hospitality-for-ukraine/Uber donations, free rides, essential supplies for Ukrainian workers, refugees and families:
https://www.uber.com/newsroom/supporting-ukraine/Wizz Air - free short haul flights for Ukrainian refugees from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania:
https://wizzair.com/#/rescue
International:
Care International: https://my.care.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31071&mfc_pref=T&31071.donation=form1&s_src=172220UCFM00&s_subsrc=FY22UkraineCrisisFundMO
Euro Group for Animals: https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/how-you-can-support-animal-protection-organisations-ukraine
European Outdoor Group are calling for any outdoor industry organization that is able to offer outdoor gear materials or products to support civilians affected by the conflict: https://sustonmagazine.com/2022/03/02/eog-calls-for-industry-support-for-ukrainians/
Global Citizen Ways to Help: www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ways-to-help-ukraine-conflict/
How to Help Ukraine: https://how-to-help-ukraine-now.super.site/
How you can help Ukraine in and outside of Ukraine: mapyour.city/how-you-can-help-ukrainians-in-and-outside-of-ukraine/
International Fund for Animal Welfare: https://www.ifaw.org/action/ukraine-emergency-aid-update
International Medical Corps: https://internationalmedicalcorps.org/
International Rescue Committee: https://help.rescue.org/donate/crisis-in-ukraine
Kyiv Animal Rescue Group supporting pets left behind and people with pets remaining in Kyiv: https://www.patreon.com/karg
Kyiv City Administration (KMDA) humanitarian aid portal for Kyiv: https://potreby.kyivcity.gov.ua/
People in Need: https://ukraine.peopleinneed.net/en
Red Cross EU: https://redcross.eu/
Refugees: Information for citizens of Ukraine seeking refuge in neighbouring countries: https://joinsherpa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4515544970765-Important-Information-in-Support-of-Ukrainians
United Nations humanitarian aid news: https://news.un.org/en/news/topic/humanitarian-aid
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency: https://donate.unhcr.org/int/en/general#_ga=2.33590689.1083292833.1645717134-590708463.1645444824
Unicef: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children
UN World Food Programme: https://donatenow.wfp.org/ukraine-appeal/
We Help Ukraine - A platform to help Ukrainian refugees find living support Worldwide: https://wehelpukraine.org/
Belgium and Netherlands:
#Plekvrij (“Space available”): Search social media. Local people can sign up (e.g. on the website of their hometown) - this is coordinated in the entire country.
Bulgaria:
Community-wide effort to assist Ukrainians evacuating to Bulgaria: www.bg4ua.com
Assistance to citizens of Ukraine in Bulgaria: https://www.motherukraine-bg.org/home
Finland:
Some of the organizations operating in Finland have their own relief activities in Ukraine and some operate through local organizations: https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/nain-voit-auttaa-ukrainalaisia-suomesta-kasin-avustuslahjoituksilla-pyritaan-auttamaan-siviileja/8366416#gs.s5o265
Private initiative “Operaatio Toivo”: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012497419668646/
Slava Ukraine - supporting refugees to travel to Finland from Poland: https://slava-ukraini.fi/
VR: Ukrainian citizens travel free on Finnish trains: https://yle.fi/news/3-12339638
Germany:
Action platform: https://www.oloimaziboroume.gr/el/calendar
Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development and the European Beech Forest Network: www.supportukraine-eberswalde.de
Elinor, a platform for connecting people from Ukraine with hosts who offer accommodation: elinor.network/gastfreundschaft-ukraine/
EU4UA, a platform for connecting refugees with European hosts: https://de.eu4ua.org/
HSMA - Initiative of German travel trade associations: www.hsma.de/de/touristikhilft
Private initiative on one of our members: https://www.facebook.com/michael.meyer.3591267/posts/10159828970749469
PETA Germany - Info for getting pets out of Ukraine, through cross-border EU bureaucracy: https://www.peta.org.uk/action/ukraine/
#Touristikhilft - a collection of resources: https://v-i-r.de/2022/02/28/touristikhilft-eine-initiative-deutscher-verbaende-im-tourismus/
Moldova:
Moldova supporting Ukraine: https://moldova.travel/en/moldova-pentru-pace/
Montenegro:
The Embassy of Ukraine in Montenegro has opened an official account for donations
from Montenegro. The account number is 530-32387-46, NLB Bank.
Poland:
Polish Government Official site connecting people who need help with those who can: https://kporembinski.notion.site/English-22ded79118bb4a9eb92b35cd5ade3cd1
Romania:
Aggregator aiming to facilitate a rapid response to all the needs of refugees and border volunteers: https://refugees.ro/
UK:
The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB): https://www.gofundme.com/f/helpukraine
British Red Cross: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal
British Ukrainian Aid: https://british-ukrainianaid.org/
Choose Love: https://donate.chooselove.org/campaigns/ukraine-appeal/
Disasters Emergency Committee Humanitarian Appeal (representing 15 leading UK aid charities): https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal
Embassy - With Ukraine Global Support Fund: https://www.withukraine.org/
Reset - community sponsorship for settling refugees: https://resetuk.org/about/about-reset
Save the Children: https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/europe/ukraine
US:
American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/
Nova Ukraine - Humanitarian aid: https://novaukraine.org/
Outright Action supporting the LGBTIQ: https://outrightinternational.org/ukraine
Razom providing critical medical supplies: https://razomforukraine.org/razom-emergency-response/
Revived Soldiers Ukraine: https://www.rsukraine.org/
RPCV Alliance for Ukraine are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Ukraine: https://www.allianceforukraine.org/campaigns
Rest of World:
Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation: https://lnkj.in/p/nido
Thank you.