Together with the Central Welfare Board of Jews in Germany (ZWST), OlamAid provides urgently needed aid supplies and psychosocial support for the population affected by the war in Ukraine.

OlamAid has been active in Ukraine since January 15, 2022, with its project for psychosocial support and emergency aid for the population directly affected by the conflict – back in 2014. Since the escalation of the conflict on February 24, 2022, a large section of the Ukrainian population has been in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Due to the close and trusting relationships with Jewish communities in Germany and Europe, OlamAid was able to establish fast and efficient access to the affected population in Ukraine. The ZWST and OlamAid have combined their ties to different communities, displaced groups and NGOs inside and outside of Ukraine and have been offering their professional experience in psychosocial support and holistic emergency assistance to create unique added value to the relief work being done in Ukraine. This close cooperation with local communities and partner organizations has already enabled local employees to be integrated into the OlamAid project team at an early stage. This, in turn, enabled OlamAid to remain operational despite the dramatic change in the conflict context.

While the project was initially aimed at dealing with the psychological stress caused by the prolonged conflict, which has been going on for 8 years, the focus has shifted to immediate humanitarian aid due to the escalation of the situation on February 24th, 2022. OlamAid combines large-scale aid deliveries, not only of medicines and medical equipment, but also of food and everyday necessities as well as psychosocial first aid within and along the borders of Ukraine. Meanwhile, OlamAid is also helping with rehabilitation and reconstruction operations. The reconstruction of key infrastructure affected by the war is particularly important for those parts of the population who are already returning. In this way, the psychosocial as well as the physical needs of the affected population can be addressed in a holistic manner.