Zurich donates £500,000 to Hope & Homes for Children to support 100,000 children in Ukraine

Before the crisis began, there were 100,000 children living in orphanages across Ukraine. Nine out of ten children were not orphans - they were placed in institutions because of a lack of infrastructure to support them to live in family homes. Some of these orphanages have been subjected to shelling and missile attacks as the fighting continues. In total, UNICEF estimates that two million children have now been forced to flee the country, including those separated from their families in the chaos.

Hope & Homes for Children is working to support children impacted by the crisis and ultimately close Ukraine’s orphanages. By diverting this funding, it will enable children to either live at home with their families or in suitable foster care. The charity has been working to support these orphanages for nearly 25 years.

Zurich’s donation will:

• Support Hope & Homes for Children in Ukraine to provide emergency support. In Kyiv alone, it is providing food, blankets and protection for around 3,000 children (including those from orphanages) and parents struggling to survive.
• Support the emergency response with partner organisations in neighbouring countries. This includes the humanitarian effort co-ordinated by UNICEF to support unaccompanied children and refugees on the move across Europe at Blue Dot emergency hubs. In Moldova Hope & Homes for Children has deployed a team of social workers, child psychologists and admissions staff to provide round the clock aid.
• Continue Hope & Homes for Children ongoing work, providing emergency interventions for children and families at risk of separation. This includes building family and community-based services.
• Support global advocacy work to ensure this crisis does not undo years of progress in reforming care models.
• Hope and Homes for Children is highlighting the plight of children and families to ensure they are central to the humanitarian response to this war. This will ensure Ukraine rebuilds its childcare and protection system so they focus on families, not orphanages.
• The charity is calling on governments in neighbouring countries to support those crossing the border and prioritise emergency foster care and family reunification over orphanages.

Mark Waddington, CEO of Hope & Homes for Children comments:

“Zurich has supported Hope and Homes for Children for many years. The company’s incredible generosity in supporting our work with children in Ukraine and the wider region is truly inspiring. This support will enable us to begin rebuilding the child protection and care infrastructure in Ukraine. It will also help to develop services that help the most vulnerable families to protect and care for their children, whilst also providing emergency support.”

Tim Bailey, Zurich UK CEO comments:

“We're proud to be able to support Hope and Homes for Children’s vital work in Ukraine, Romania and Moldova as part of Zurich’s overall global effort to help those affected by the war.

“As well as providing emergency aid, Zurich’s support will help keep the 100,000 children who were in Ukraine’s orphanages at the beginning of the war safe. While ensuring that the long-term recovery effort puts systems in place for these children to grow up in safe homes.”

Gary Shaughnessy, Chair of the Z Zurich Foundation comments:

“We're humbled by the work of Hope and Homes for Children and hope that Zurich’s donation helps at a time of great upheaval. We are honoured to be able to support families and children as they face the perils of this conflict. We hope that other organisations can come together and help wherever they can.”