With the support of the Humanitarian Ukrainian Fund (UHF), Acted has provided sunflower husk briquettes for heating to vulnerable residents of Myryvska Hromada in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. This initiative, implemented ahead of the Ukrainian harsh winter, aims to ensure that those in need have access to essential heating resources.
Zhmeryne settlement, in the south of Dnipropetrovsk oblast, 20 kilometres away from Zaporizhzhia and less than 30 kilometres from the frontline. This village of around 30 houses has no shops, no gas, no running water, and most of its inhabitants are elderly people with limited resources, who can’t afford enough fuel for heating in winter. Temperatures in this region are negative for 4 to 5 months each year. Heating is therefore an essential and relatively expensive necessity.
Mariia and Dmytro* are married and have lived in the village for 10 years. They are retired and receive pensions of 2,000 and 3,000 hryvnia per month respectively (~50 and 75 EUR). Provision of firewood for winter costs approximately 20,000 hryvnia, and they can’t afford it. Prices have risen since the beginning of the full-scale invasion as very few suppliers are willing to deliver firewood so close to the frontline. Moreover, the transport connection to the closest city is almost inexistant and using the car to go there is also expensive.
Before the war, many people were living here. Life was better. Now, there are no more shops, no more transport connections. Only one bus is coming here from time to time.
Thankfully, several NGOs are helping people here, as we are located close from the frontline.
A few metres down the road, Olena* also has briquettes delivered. Each house receives three bags, each weighing one tonne, to cover its heating needs for the whole winter. This day, it is her 85th birthday. This former teacher lives alone and doesn’t want to leave the village where she has had her house for more than 30 years. Before the war, she heated her home with coal, it was simple and affordable. Since the mines are located in the Donbas region, it has become difficult to obtain coal now and she can’t afford firewood either. She is very satisfied with Acted and UHF support as she is getting older, and it is becoming difficult for her to gather firewood or travel to the city.
Without Acted’s help, I would go to the forest and bring wood by myself, but it is very dangerous now.
The winterisation assistance provided by Acted and its partners, with support from UHF, will benefit more than 14,000 conflict-affected people, enabling the most vulnerable to get through the harsh Ukrainian winter.
* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals.
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