Chart of the Week: What Do Ukraine's Front-line Communities Need?
Kyiv-based humanitarians often recall a United Nations convoy in late 2022 arriving in recently liberated eastern Ukrainian villages with crates of food. To their surprise, well-fed residents protested, saying what they really needed was windows. Whether true or not, this story highlights a common concern that humanitarian organizations may be disconnected from the actual needs of people.
According to the U.N., 12.7 million Ukrainians require humanitarian aid. Addressing this challenge requires extensive efforts to understand real needs by directly asking affected communities what they require.
Impact Reach’s Role in Gathering Data
Impact Reach, a Swiss organization working in 37 countries including Ukraine, conducts thousands of interviews annually. They collect detailed information about individuals’ income, health, education, and daily lives. This data helps guide decisions on where and how aid should be distributed.
Kyiv-based humanitarians often tell the story of a United Nations convoy in late 2022 turning up with crates of food in recently liberated villages of eastern Ukraine, only to discover well-fed residents protesting that what they really needed was windows.
Twelve point seven million Ukrainians require humanitarian assistance, according to the U.N.
Impact Reach interviews thousands of people each year across Ukraine about all aspects of their life — including their income, health, education level, and day-to-day life. The results feed into the humanitarian system, helping organizations like the U.N. make decisions about what aid needs to be delivered and where.
By grounding aid strategies in firsthand data, organizations improve their response to the real needs of Ukraine’s front-line communities.
Author's summary: Understanding front-line needs in Ukraine requires direct communication and reliable data to ensure humanitarian aid reaches the right people with the right support.