In peacetime, we supported the people affected by the reactor accident in the Chernobyl region in their pursuit of a self-determined life and a life full of hope. Even though a long time has passed since Chernobyl’s nuclear disaster, the accident still casts a shadow over the lives of the people living there. In addition to the negative effects of radioactivity on the health of the population, the events in Chernobyl also led to social and economic neglect in the region.

When Ukraine was attacked in February this year by the Russian army and large parts of the population were plunged into unimaginable suffering, we, an organization that has been operating in the country for many years, knew that we were going to provide humanitarian aid. Since the beginning of the war, we have been focussing on the provision of medical supplies, food, baby products and warm clothes for the civil population. In our work we can rely on our long-term experience of working in Ukraine, which we’ve acquired in the context of our SOCMED-Program (Social and Medical Care and Education). This program was launched by Green Cross in 2000 to help those most affected by the negative effects of radioactivity, particularly children and young people.

Latest: humanitarian aid

Countless people across Ukraine are affected by unthinkable suffering due to the horrible war. We provide humanitarian aid to them. In Chernihiv, food such as potatoes, pasta products, butter and eggs have been distributed to those in need several times. Additionally, we were able to transport medicine from Switzerland to Ukraine together with our partners. With the help of our donors over 70’000 Swiss Francs worth of urgently needed medical supplies could be bought and distributed to the victims of war. Beyond that, together with volunteers we’ve provided vital medicine and medical equipment to a children’s hospital in Dnipro.

Animals are also affected by war. Many animal shelters in Ukraine have already been in a precarious state for a long time. The war has exacerbated their situation. That’s why Green Cross Switzerland is supporting Ukrainian animal shelters in their task of caring for abandoned animals. Numerous quadrupeds could be supplied with food, medicine, toys and other goods of daily use. We are planning to further support the work of animal shelters.

Not only the lives of people and animals are under threat in war, but also essential infrastructures such as water supply are being damaged. In order to tackle this problem, Green Cross Switzerland has bought almost 100’000 Swiss Francs worth of ten water treatment kits and delivered them to Ukraine. The delivery and installation of further kits are pending. With the help of our donors, we are also going to support the prospective reconstruction process of Ukraine.

Past projects

Green Cross Bus

Exposure to radiation increases the risk of various diseases, including cancer, cardiac dysfunction and severe weakening of the immune system. Therefore, regular medical examinations are vital. Especially the rural areas, however, are lacking of the necessary medical infrastructure.

For many families, the journey to a medical center involves a great deal of effort and is therefore very often not feasible. Thanks to the cooperation between Green Cross and Zhytomyr Regional Hospital, a team of doctors regularly travels to rural areas with the Green Cross Bus to carry out medical examinations.

Therapy camps

In therapy camps, children can spend time surrounded by nature. The climate of the areas chosen for the camps (e. g. the Vorzel region) have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. Besides, through a balanced diet and various therapeutic treatments, a general improvement of the children’s well-being, both physically and psychologically, has been observed.

For an unburdened future

Chernobyl is sadly known worldwide for the radioactive disaster. Green Cross Switzerland wants to change this perception and give the affected people a hopeful and sustainable future.

That is why we promote sustainable energy supply. We have already begun with small-scale projects, which will be expanded after a successful pilot-phase. However, the long-term goal is for these communities to be able to implement this kind of projects autonomously.

An example of our sustainable work is the installation of a new heating system in a school building, which uses waste from wood industry and agriculture. As a result of rising gas costs, in fact, many public facilities could no longer afford to pay for their heating systems and schools needed to extend their autumn holidays. The technology we implemented, on the other hand, represents a viable alternative to gas and facilitates school activities also in colder months.