A collage of three photos showing primary school pupils with classroom equipment, a pupil learning with her teacher and a group of people on a staircase © GIZ

Strengthening community resilience

Strengthening Communities in South and East Ukraine through Localized Action (EMPOWER)

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  • Client

    German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

  • Co-financier

    European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO)

  • Country
  • Political sponsors

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  • Runtime

    2019 to 2026

  • Products and expertise

    Security, reconstruction and peace

Two girls at primary school showing the classroom equipment they have received
GIZ

Context

Over 14.6 million Ukrainians – including 3.7 million internally displaced people – are in urgent need of help due to the war. The worst-affected areas are southern and eastern Ukraine. Against this background, the project supports the efforts of Ukrainian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to offer protection, psychosocial assistance and basic aid, e.g. social services for people in need and those with reduced mobility.

Its focus is on localising humanitarian aid. As well as enabling local initiatives and organisations to expand and improve the services they provide, this approach encourages greater self-reliance.

Objective

At-risk population groups in southern and eastern Ukraine have developed greater resilience.

People sitting together around tables during a training session. Project partner logos are shown at the edge of the photo.
GIZ

Approach

The project strengthens resilience among at-risk population groups in southern and eastern Ukraine by supporting local assistance efforts that meet the needs of communities affected by war. To this end, it operates in the regions (oblasts) of Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Sumy, concentrating its support on public health, civil protection, emergency educational provision, shelter, non-food items (e.g. bed linen, lamps and phones) and skills development training for NGOs.

At present, the fund administered by the project offers direct financial support of between EUR 30,000 and EUR 100,000 to 35 small Ukrainian NGOs. Grants are available on a competitive basis to local initiatives that submit proposals aligned with the project's objectives, as long as the proposals are eligible to receive financial support.

In addition, the project works with:

  • the NGOs Right to Protection and Rokada in order to train NGOs that receive grant funding;
  • the NGO Alliance for Public Health in order to set up and maintain a mobile health team in the regions of Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv.

Last update: December 2024

Additional information