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Rebuilding Ukraine Now: Addressing the Most Critical Needs of Ukrainian Refugees & IDPs

As the world watched the military invasion of Ukraine launch on February 24th, 2022, generations of Ukrainians saw the life they once knew shatter within hours, minutes. Almost immediately, instability rocked nearly every area of Ukrainian life from food security to freedom of movement, from physical safety to business operations. Those in the East were all too familiar with the realities of daily shelling and crimes, having lived under 8 years of ongoing attacks. A now estimated 8.2 million refugees, mostly women and children, flooded the Western borders to safety creating an unprecedented European refugee crisis. Millions more remained in Ukraine, including men ages 18 years and older, with an estimated 7.1 million citizens classified as IDPs (internally displaced persons).

Caring for the Most Vulnerable Ukrainians

Since the first invasion and occupation in 2014, LYNC and founder Wade Kusack have stood beside the most vulnerable Ukrainians, including children and the elderly, in the East. Our team, including Ukrainian hero and author Serhii Kosiak, reconstructed and operated two elder care facilities on the demarcation line, evacuated families and supported critical needs of fuel, food, healthcare and transport for those who remained in the conflict zone throughout the years.

Creating a Safe Haven in Germany

Last year, when it became immediately clear that evacuations were critical to save lives, LYNC re-activated its evacuation route East to West and successfully aided over 4000 refugees fleeing to safety and resettled thousands outside of Dresden, Germany. Through successful partnerships with German government, a local church and the Ukrainian Aid Centre, we provided critical temporary housing, provided emergency food and mobilized a multilingual team to walk the refugees through the German immigration process to receive long-term support and language studies. Our work continues.

Launching “Rebuilding Ukraine Now”

As the tangible needs of the refugees were being addressed, LYNC knew the invisible wounds of war including mental distress, PTSD symptomatology and spiritual brokenness would further surface as a new normal unfolded for our Ukrainians in Germany. In May 2022, we piloted an innovative art therapy and trauma healing program for 144 Ukrainian women and children in partnership with the University of Fine Arts of Dresden. Participants asked for additional and deeper trauma healing support, and in September, LYNC launched Phase II of the “Rebuilding Ukraine Now” multi-phase project. The vision of “Rebuilding Ukraine Now” is to restore dignity and bring healing now to Ukrainians who will rebuild families, communities and, one day soon, the nation. LYNC successfully concluded the second art therapy and group trauma healing program and continues supporting the refugee population in Germany and beyond through our wide network.

Serving the Youngest Generation in Ukraine & Building Communities

As the war rages on, the suffering is compounding, especially for the youngest generation whose childhoods are marked by chaos, displacement and fear. Our international team is actively reorienting our time and resources to bring trauma healing and critical housing in key Ukrainian cities. We are actively developing projects for trauma triage and psychologist-led trauma healing groups for children and parents in IDP camps based on a world-renowned curriculum. Additionally, LYNC is spearheading a critical IDP housing project, a partnership between a Ukrainian businessman, the local church and key local leaders. Addressing the mental wellness and shelter needs of this IDP population is our top priority in 2023. To learn more about these projects in “Rebuilding Ukraine Now,” please contact us.

If you would like to financially support Ukrainians through these projects, we invite you to donate through our National Christian Foundation page here.