A Survivor Relief Centre has been opened in Sumy, where people affected by war, including conflict-related sexual violence survivors, can receive free and confidential social, psychological, legal and information support. Sumy became the 12th city in Ukraine to have such a Centre.
"Russians continue to mercilessly shell our cities and destroy the lives of Ukrainian citizens. Sumy region, which suffered significant damage at the beginning of the full-scale war, continues to suffer from attacks. It is important that those who have survived or are experiencing the horrors of war feel that they are cared for and can receive qualified comprehensive assistance. That is why theopening of the 12th Assistance Centre in Sumy, near the sites of active hostilities, is vital," saidd Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in Ukraine.
Social workers, psychologists and a lawyer will work at the Survivor Relief Centre in Sumy. Residents of the city and the region, people who have fled the war zone and internally displaced persons can contact the Centre to receive information on medical services, humanitarian aid, accommodation and social benefits.
The Centre will also spesialize on providing comprehensive psychological assistance and rehabilitation for war-affected people, including the survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. The Centre's specialists will help survivors overcome post-traumatic stress disorder and return to normal life over the long term.
"Every day, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are devastated by this relentless war. Our mission is to provide steadfast support, deliver social and psychological assistance, and help them navigate the trauma of war. We are proud to announce an expansion of our support network with a new Survivor Relief Centre in Sumy, joining our network of Survivor Relief Centers across Ukraine. This new center will be staffed by dedicated, highly trained specialists committed to providing effective and comprehensive support, especially to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. We are profoundly grateful to the Government of Ukraine and our international partners for making it possible to extend our help to more Ukrainians in need. – says Massimo Diana, UNFPA Representative in Ukraine.
The creation of the Centres in 2022 was initiated by Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration. As of today, the Survivor Relief Centres are already operating in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kyiv, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Mukachevo, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Kharkiv, and Kherson. Last week, three mobile Centres were launched to help residents of the regions of Ukraine that are no longer under Russian occupation.
Since 2022, the Centres have supported more than 35,000 people.
Anyone in need of professional help and advice can contact the Survivor Relief Centres.
Address and contacts of the Centre in Sumy: Sumy, 13a Voskresenska St. MON-FRI 9:00 - 16:00. Hotline: +38 050 851 79 35.
Contacts of other Centres can be found on the Platform for Assistance to Survivors: https://www.help-platform.in.ua/
The SurvivorRelief Centre in Sumy was established at the initiative of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, with the assistance of the Government Commissioner for Gender Policy, in partnership with the UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, with financial support from the governments of Austria, Belgium, Spain, Sweden and in cooperation with the executive partner, the Charity Foundation "Posmishka UA".
