In the framework of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, Caritas Ukraine held an official event on 21 May to support the Ukrainian united territorial communities to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Ambassador Matti Maasikas, and the Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, participated in the official packaging of protective kits – Community Health Boxes. The host of the event, the warehouse of Nova Poshta logistics company, is in charge of sending all boxes to the local communities.

The officials visited the warehouse and checked personally the timely arrival and packing of the safety items into the boxes:  gloves, masks, goggles, non-contact thermometers, respirators and disinfectants. The project was made possible through support from the EU Delegation to Ukraine and five EU Member States – Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Estonia – through the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

Healthy communities are the foundation of strong Ukraine. I am proud that the EU and U-Lead can support Ukrainian communities in villages and small towns in their fight against COVID-19.

Matti Maasikas, EU Ambassador to Ukraine

Among the participants were also the ambassadors of Sweden and Germany, representatives of the Polish Embassy and the EU Delegation to Ukraine, the Director of U-LEAD with Europe from GIZ Bastian Feigel, the President of Caritas Ukraine Andrij Waskowycz, and media representatives.

This initiative certainly provides essential support to the united territorial communities in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Each set contains masks, hand and surface disinfectants, protective suits and more. These packages will be a great help to doctors in the fight against the consequences of the pandemic.

Andrij Waskowycz, President of Caritas Ukraine

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba stressed that the U-LEAD with Europe Programme strengthens ties between Ukraine and the EU. Mr. Kuleba said that the population all over the country would see that European partners care not only about people in Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa, but also in small communities and that such support is the fundamental significance of this project.

Reference information:

The Ukraine Local Empowerment, Accountability and Development Programme is a programme co-financed by the EU and its Member States: Germany, Sweden, Poland, Denmark and Estonia.

More information on the support of communities in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic here: http://caritas.ua/ulead