The USAID Civil Society Engagement Program supports the civic platform Dopomoga Ukraini, which helps Ukrainian refugees in Georgia access the necessary information and services they need.
In the first weeks of the Russia-Ukraine war, both the government and the public offered diverse support to Ukrainian refugees in Georgia. However, a lack of wider coordination combined with a language barrier left many Ukrainians in Georgia struggling to access information about the help available to them. Considering these problems, active citizens came together and formed a Facebook group to connect those who needed help with those who wanted to offer help. Soon after, the group launched a one-stop bilingual website where Ukrainians coming to Georgia could access verified information on many topics, including medical services, legal assistance, accommodation, education, psychological services, and employment opportunities. Currently, the website offers access to more than 470 informational postings on various programs and opportunities available.
In July, the Georgian government announced that it was ending its program, which offered Ukrainian refugees free accommodation in hotels, on August 1. Thanks to the support of Georgian citizens, many evicted families received temporary housing for free. However, many more were left without a place to stay. To provide refugees with housing, Dopomoga Ukraini, along with other active citizens and civil society organizations, launched a crowdfunding campaign, in which the Open Society Foundation generously donated 150,000 GEL to kickstart the fundraising efforts. Those interested in donating can find more information and transfer money to the account here.
Campaign banner belongs to Open Society Foundation.
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