Since February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a war of aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian people are in dire need. To escape the war, Ukrainian citizens are hiding in basements or trying to leave the country. You can also provide aid from Switzerland and actively oppose the war.
Donate money
Most humanitarian organizations try to use the received donations to purchase humanitarian supplies directly in Ukraine or in neighboring countries, if possible. This is cheaper, supports the weakened local economy and is also more environmentally friendly. But beware: The willingness to donate to Ukraine is currently very high, which unfortunately also leads to fraudsters starting dubious fundraising. The ZEWO certification body is on its way place Listed organizations where donations to Ukraine are in safe hands. These certified humanitarian organizations are regularly audited by ZEWO to ensure that donations are used effectively and for the intended purpose.
gifts in kind
Collecting aid supplies from Switzerland, packing them and transporting them to the destination country is very time-consuming. Therefore, only a few humanitarian organizations collect material donations in Switzerland for the purpose of transporting them to Ukraine. One of them is the association «Ukrainians in Basel», which currently collects medical products (disinfectants, bandages, etc.), charged power banks, daily hygiene needs and many other products. Food is purchased by the aid organization itself with the help of monetary donations. The Ukrainian Embassy in Bern is also collecting medical supplies (defibrillators, sterile gloves and first aid kits). The donation is registered via e-mail UKREMBASSY.CH@gmail.com.
to accept refugees
Cantonal social welfare offices and private organizations such as Guest4Ukraine or Swiss aid to refugees have created platforms where hosts can register to host refugees. It doesn’t matter whether you can provide a single room, an apartment or a holiday home. Refugees are allowed free accommodation in Switzerland, as long as Ukrainians do not exceed the permitted length of stay. Therefore, no special permission from the landlord or the authorities is required for the first 90 days after arrival in Switzerland. The Federal Council will soon decide what happens after this deadline. Swiss Refugee Aid knows the needs of host families based on past experience of hosting refugees privately. The necessary structures are currently being established in Switzerland to ensure professional mediation and support for refugees and host families.
Get involved
Various charities like #LeaveNoOneBehind and UkraineNow they are looking for volunteers who want to get involved. There are many ways to do this, such as translations, sponsorships or office visits. At this time, it is still unclear where and when help is needed. You can still register on the relevant website to contact helpers directly when support is needed.
Anti-war demonstrations are regularly held to show solidarity with the Ukrainian population and to oppose the invasion of Russia. You can learn about what kind of demonstrations are currently being planned on various Instagram channels or on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Embassy.
Get the right information
The situation in Ukraine is confusing and changing rapidly. Inform yourself about the conflict from reliable sources so that especially social media propaganda and misinformation does not spread further. Not everything that looks like news really is. It is important to distinguish between real and fake. This is achieved by checking the sources, i.e. identifying the author and his relationship to the topic. It is easy to fool it, especially with multimedia content with photos, videos and audio. Check that the content actually reflects current events. To do this, it is often necessary to find another source that confirms the content in other words or images. Basically, it is important to remain critical and find out which sources provide credible content.
Anyone interested in a more in-depth look at President Putin’s policies and civil society discourse in Russia should visit the online platform decoder. Among other things, independent Russian media, i.e. those that are not controlled by the state, are translated there so that Europeans have direct access to the discourse of Russian civil society. In addition, you can also find your own articles here, which are supplemented with explanations of terms as well as cultural and historical contexts. Hence the slogan of the decoder “Understanding Russia”.