Ukraine war: Refugees Welcome campaign raises more than £60,000 in first 24 hours
Refugees Welcome: The Independent is raising money to help Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Independent’s campaign to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees has exceeded £60,000 in less than 24 hours – money that will buy life-saving and vital support for many of the hundreds of thousands of innocent people forced to flee their homes.
Working with the Red Cross and Save The Children, we will be giving aid to Ukrainians crossing the border in freezing temperatures into Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Slovakia, as well as people displaced from their homes within Ukraine.
The fundraiser, part of our Refugees Welcome appeal, will deliver accommodation, clothing, food, sanitary goods, medicines, toys and other necessities.
It will allow people escaping the war to phone loved ones left behind and follow developments on the internet.
Save the Children, a beneficiary of the appeal and a charity that has worked in Ukraine since 2014, will provide cash and vouchers, as well as shelter, warm clothes and blankets, hygiene packs and psychological support to refugees.
With more than half a million Ukrainians having to leave behind homes, schools and normal lives, together with nearly everything they own, the need is urgent. So please give generously through our GoFundMe page.
Save the Children says £10 will buy a family hygiene kit, £50 will feed a mother and her children for a fortnight and £100 will provide a displaced family with emergency shelter.
The Independent has also launched a petition calling on the UK government to be at the forefront of the international community offering aid and support to a nation in need.
Thousands of Ukrainian children have lost parents, brothers, sisters and friends in the Russian attacks or have had to say a heartbreaking goodbye to fathers who stayed behind to fight.
Gwen Hines, chief executive of Save the Children UK, said: “Millions of children are at grave risk of physical harm and emotional distress. Any family forced from their home needs shelter, food, water – the absolute basics.
“We’re also in mid-winter with temperatures below zero, which makes displacement even more dangerous. We’re providing life-saving assistance in the form of food, water, cash. Please help.”
To donate, please click here for our GoFundMe page.
The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments