The Polish Scouting and Guiding Association
In an earlier update we brought you updates from Zwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego and their project providing support to those helping in the war. After the success of their project, in November ZHP applied for funding for two further projects supporting those affected.
With 14,560 euros donated by you to the emergency appeal, ZHP can continue supporting leaders of local units and districts with mini grants in the ‘Units for Ukraine’ initiative. Your donations are being used to provide direct financial support for local projects in local units in Poland. These grants will cover things like materials for summer camps, accommodation fees for Ukrainian children at scouting camps, service projects for Ukrainian children and women in settling into their new communities, and language classes and workshops to support strong multicultural environments.
With your support this successful initiative can continue, the funds you’ve provided mean a part time coordinator can be hired to manage and execute this ambitious and successful project.
Secondly, ZHP are using 20,000 euros of your donations to redistribute vital supplies to various help points throughout Poland. These supplies include sleeping bags, blankets, winter clothes and basic medicines and dressings donated by humanitarian organisations. These are essential as winter has started in Ukraine and sub-zero temperatures have set in. These help points throughout Poland are staffed by volunteers working tirelessly in cold conditions to disseminate the supplies to those in need.
An influx of refugees is expected as winter will bring with it further difficulties for Ukrainians still residing in Ukraine. Therefore, the services of ZHP members will be essential. Your donations mean that ZHP is prepared and ready to support volunteers as they provide essential supplies to the next wave of refugees.
Girlguiding UK
In November 2022 Girlguiding UK applied for 38,650 euros to support people arriving in the UK from Ukraine to join Girlguiding, by volunteering or as a member.
Your donations will be used to fund the translation of materials into Ukrainian and subsidising welcome packs for 300 girls or volunteers joining from Ukraine. This allows Girlguiding UK to offer grants of up to £100 per individual from Ukraine to cover resources and equipment girls and volunteers require to start. These include new uniforms, training, membership fees and welcome packs.
By providing translated resources and welcome grants to girls and volunteers from Ukraine, Girlguiding UK can provide a warm welcome for potentially hundreds of new members who may not otherwise have been able to take part in Guiding.
You have made it possible to give girls fleeing the war in Ukraine a chance to experience new things and learn new skills, in what will be a daunting and overwhelming new environment.
Scouts & Guides of Sweden (Scouterna)
In our previous update we shared that the Scouts and Guides of Sweden have worked with Ukrainian members based in Poland and Sweden to facilitate their attendance at the National Jamboree in Sweden. The Swedish Member Organisation were able to send girls from Chernihiv and Kharkiv region in Ukraine, where they had lived under fire for days.
Now the Scouts and Guides of Sweden have found another way to support those affected by the war in Ukraine.
For many years Wasakårens Scouts have sent Christmas gifts to children in children’s homes in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania. Unfortunately, because of the war in Ukraine there were no deliveries this Christmas through the normal channel.
Wasakåren Scouts therefore took it upon themselves, with the help of Ukrainian refugees located in Uppsala Sweden and their families in Kiev, to transport packages without Larkarmissionen – the original delivery company.
With your donations totalling 1600 euros they were able to deliver 220 packages with Christmas gifts including; a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, pencils, a rubber, stickers, a colouring book and many more gifts. The Scouts of Wasakåren also wrote a Christmas card to go with each present.
Your generous donations made it possible for children in Kiev living in children’s homes to still receive Christmas gifts this year, despite the ongoing conflict. Thank you.
Swedish Guides and Scouts
