Likewise, they are the ones who best understand what is needed to rebuild.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, grassroots organisations and local NGOs have stepped up to respond to the evolving challenges facing the region.
From restoring access to education and healthcare to strengthening livelihoods, preserving culture and fostering inclusion, these initiatives demonstrate the power of community-led action.
Here are just some of the 55+ civil society organisations we are supporting as they drive direct, tangible impact in their communities.
Attendance at the inclusive arts platform has already exceeded expectations at the project's midpoint.
One of the clearest indicators of success has been the growing trust shown by local families, with parents now confidently encouraging their children to attend activities independently.
In a community where social cohesion is a key objective, these small moments signal something much larger: the strengthening of relationships across ethnic and generational lines.
– Valeria, project participant, 11-years-old.
Restoring access to education for children and young people in the Romny community by reactivating a Digital Learning Centre as a safe space for learning, development and connection.
Through catch-up classes, STEM and IT courses, career guidance, and financial and media literacy training, the initiative supports both educational continuity and social cohesion.
– Anastasia, program participant, 16-years-old.
Anastasia, who dreamed of becoming a doctor but had lost confidence during years of disrupted wartime schooling, won a city-level biology Olympiad and placed in the regional competition by the project’s midpoint.
Her quote captures the spirit of the project.
One of the most impactful stories to emerge from the project is that of the Durakov family from the remote village of Vavylove in the Shevchenkove community.
In this family, both the bedridden father and his daughter live with disabilities, and due to the village's isolation, limited public transport and the prohibitive cost of private travel, the family struggled to pass medical commissions (MSEK), renew documents, and exercise their basic social rights.
Through iHelp’s Social Taxi. South initiative, they received free specialised transportation, enabling them to attend medical assessments, renew critical documentation and secure the state pensions and social guarantees to which they were entitled. In this case, the social taxi did more than just transport them – it bridged the critical gap between an isolated rural family and essential medical and social services.
As the father shared:
This story vividly illustrates how for remote rural residents, a social taxi is often the only real chance to access healthcare, documentation, and state support in a timely manner. Throughout the project, the team received numerous heartfelt expressions of gratitude, both over the phone and on video, from beneficiaries facing isolation due to distance, illness, or limited mobility.
As our partners at ISAR Ednannia put it, these testimonials underscore not only the practical necessity of the project but also its profound human value.
The Private Employers Association launched a 12-session School of Entrepreneurship: From Idea to Result for residents looking to start or formalise a small business, with 50% of participants belonging to priority groups, including internally displaced people, veterans and women.
By the project’s midpoint, three participants had already registered as individual entrepreneurs following consultations provided through the program. One of them, Alina Reshetko, a 38-year-old professional trainer, formally registered her business on 1 April 2026 after receiving support to identify the appropriate business classifications, open a bank account and navigate the registration process.
A further eight participants submitted applications to active grant competitions, while participant satisfaction reached 95%, highlighting both the demand for and value of locally tailored business support.
They remind us that recovery is not only about rebuilding infrastructure, but also about restoring opportunity, preserving culture, strengthening connections and creating the conditions for communities to thrive again.
And while the needs of each community are different, two things remain constant: the resilience and determination of the human spirit in the face of hardship, and the reality that the people closest to the challenges are often closest to the solutions.
We believe that they are the leaders the world must continue to back.
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