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Dear friends and supporters of Malteser International,
Bombs are falling, windows are rattling, sleep is nearly impossible: This has been Svitlana’s daily reality for over three years in Sloviansk, eastern Ukraine. Yet when we meet the 66-year-old (pictured top right), she smiles. She has just received a relief package containing detergent, shower gel, and other hygiene items. “My package of comfort and dignity,” she says with relief. “This is all I have.” Items we take for granted – like shampoo or soap – have become nearly inaccessible for Svitlana and many others here since the war began.
Mental health support is vital
Andrii and Anna, an elderly couple from Sloviansk, tell us what this aid also means to them: “It’s a sign that the world hasn’t forgotten us. That people still care.” Their words show how essential psychosocial support is, alongside material aid. Since the start of the full-scale war we have worked with local partners to steadily expand our mental health and psychosocial support services. So far, we’ve been able to help nearly 125,000 people through counseling, therapy, and stress management techniques – making daily life in wartime a little more bearable.
Rebuilding starts with the children
In mid-July, the fourth international Ukraine Recovery Conference took place. Recovery? While the war is still ongoing? Yes, says Pavlo Titko, Head of Malteser Ukraine: “Recovery is more successful when people’s mental health hasn’t been forgotten during the war. Children in particular carry deep emotional wounds and urgently need psychosocial support. That’s why we must already be thinking about the future – and about life after the war.”
For Svitlana and the remaining residents of Sloviansk, that future currently feels unimaginably far away. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we continue to stand by their side, together with you.
Thank you for bringing hope!
Warm regards,
Lisa Schönmeier
Head of the Ukraine department at Malteser International |
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Together with several local partners, we provide psychosocial services, recreational activities, and family-centered support for children and adolescents. We create safe and supportive environments where children can begin to recover from trauma. “Outdoor play, time to talk, and being with peers are essential to help children cope with daily air raid alarms, school lessons in dark basements, and more,” explains Pavlo Titko, Head of the Malteser Ukraine. |
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We have been providing psychosocial support to people affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine in collaboration with Malteser Ukraine already since 2015. Following the start of the large-scale invasion in 2022 the need for such support has increased dramatically. To reach more people with our services, we expanded our existing program and partnered with further specialized organizations like Mental Health Service and Words Help. Together, we work to strengthen the psychosocial well-being of those impacted by the war. In 2024 alone, we were able to support 41,522 men, women, and children through our services. |
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Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, 10.6 million Ukrainians have been displaced, and 12.7 million people inside the country are in need of humanitarian assistance (as of February 2025, source: UNHCR). Together with our local partner organizations, we support thousands of people each year with essential relief items – from soap to food to sleeping bags. Last year alone, we reached close to 170,000 individuals with emergency aid, and have been able to assist a total of almost 300,000 people in this way since February 2022. |
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Donation account
Account number: 1201200012
IBAN: DE103 70601201201200012 | BIC: GENODED1PA7 | Pax Bank Cologne
Reference: “Malteser International” |
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info@malteser-international.org
Photo credit: Mental Health Service (small articles, middle), Malteser Ukraine (all others)
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