On 1 July 2024, the Survivor Relief Centre in Kherson started operating in a physical location. From now on, war-affected residents of the city can receive comprehensive social and psychological support not only through the mobile Centre, but also through the stationary one.
"We continue to provide support to all those who suffered violence during the war, including sexual violence. Since the mobile Centre was established in Kherson, it has proved to be an effective tool for comprehensive support of our citizens. About 2,000 Ukrainians have received various types of assistance. In addition to the basic social, psychological and legal support available at the Centres, they have an effective referral system in place. The opening of a physical facility in Kherson means scaling up the existing work and increasing the number of citizens who have managed to normalise their lives," said Olga Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine.
The address of the stationary Rescue Centre is not publicly disclosed for security reasons. You can find out the location of the service by calling +38 (050) 626 13 79. The centre is open from 9:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday.
At the same time, the mobile Survivor Relief Centre, which has been operating in Kherson since January 2023, continues to work in the city. In April this year, the mobile centre received a new vehicle with the support of the Spanish government, which will enable the specialists to provide assistance not only to residents of the city but also the region.
"War causes trauma, which is often difficult to cope with alone. That is why it is extremely important for us to ensure that as many people as possible have access to quality psychological and social support. The opening of the stationary Survivor Relief Centre in Kherson means that the service becomes even more accessible. We are grateful to the Government of Ukraine and international partners who are helping Ukrainians in such difficult times," said Massimo Diana, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine.
The teams of the mobile and stationary centres are highly qualified specialists who have undergone specialised training and are constantly improving their skills.
At the Survivor Relief Centres, all people affected by war, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, can receive comprehensive social, psychological, legal and information support. All assistance at the Centre is provided free of charge, unconditionally and confidentially.
"The Kherson region continues to suffer from attacks by the Russian army. The enemy is cynical and vile, so it targets civilian infrastructure and civilians. Unfortunately, everyday people suffer from Russian shelling - they are killed, injured or left homeless. Residents of Kherson region affected by the Russian attacks need social support and care. The stationary Survivor Relief Centre will be open for them," Head of Kherson Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Prokudin has said.
The Centre team can be contacted for psychological and legal support, as well as for information on humanitarian and medical assistance, social benefits, finding temporary housing and work, enrolling children in educational institutions, resolving legal issues of internally displaced persons (IDPs), obtaining and restoring any documents, etc.
Survivor Relief Centres were started on the initiative of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, assistance of the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) thanks to the financial support of the governments of Austria, Belgium, Spain, Sweden and in cooperation with local authorities and NGOs.
In total, the Survivor Relief Centres operate in 12 cities of Ukraine. You can find the contacts of the Centres here: https://www.help-platform.in.ua/
