• We have provided multipurpose cash-based assistance in Ukraine to over 289,000 people, amounting to nearly 53 million euros.
• We have launched an emergency livelihood support programme for Ukrainian refugees in Georgia. Applications for the programme are now open.
• We have opened the portrait exhibition “Voices from Crises: Stories of Displaced People” in Pärnu.
• In May, we raised more than 4300 euros in donations. Thank you!

 Ukraine

We provide cash-based assistance, which allows people affected by war to purchase food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essentials. As of now, we have provided 

cash-based assistance to over 289 000 people, totaling more than 53 million euros. Cash assistance is provided for three months, with support of 3600 Ukrainian hryvnias per household member per month, equivalent to about 92 euros. Registration for assistance is carried out through Estonian Refugee Council's local registration points or via online application platform. Currently, our focus is on assisting those in need in frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts.

The programme is funded by the European Union, the USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) through the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Acted is the implementing partner for EU and BHA projects. 

We offer vulnerable women the opportunity to participate in entrepreneurship programmes to develop or create sustainable and crisis-resilient micro-enterprises. In July, 11 women who participated in the programme received in-kind support for the development of their businesses, with a total value exceeding 58,000 euros. In 2024, our focus has been on supporting women in the Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Poltava regions.

The Entrepreneurship Programme is supported by the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance USAID (BHA) and implemented in partnership with Acted and Garage48. The programme was previously also supported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) through the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

In July, we supported 128 people in the Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Poltava regions through our emergency livelihood assistance programme, with a total amount exceeding 30,000 euros. The support is intended to help individuals start or continue economic activities, thereby improving their self-sufficiency. This programme provides assistance for activities related to agriculture, livestock farming, food production, and various services. The maximum grant amount is up to 36,000 Ukrainian hryvnias, or approximately 800 euros.
The programme is supported by the European Union, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, and implemented in cooperation with Acted Ukraine.

We are part of the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), through which we assist the humanitarian community in maintaining a consistent overview of market conditions and the price levels of essential goods in Ukraine. Through JMMI, we can better prepare our cash-based assistance programs and direct them to the areas where help is most needed. Our data collection scope covers Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk oblasts. 

Estonia

We are running the "Edge Up" employability programme, aimed at people with a refugee background who wish to enter the job market or move on to a more suitable position. So far, two groups have completed the programme, with a third set to start at the end of August. Each month, 10-12 people participate in the training.  Registration for the programme is now open.

The employability programme is funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

We conduct monthly adaptation support training sessions as part of our counselling programme. Recently, we added new topics to our training agenda, including healthcare and social systems, as well as adaptation for parents and pensioners. We continue with previously developed training sessions covering the education system, entrepreneurship, legal issues in the context of Estonia and Ukraine, the labour market, and digital skills. The training sessions take place across Estonia, both in face-to-face and online formats, and have been attended by over 6500 refugees so far. 

We provide counselling by appointment at the Estonian Refugee Council office (Vambola 6, Tallinn) every day from 10 am to 5 pm. An information hotline is open to all refugees, as well as institutions and individuals assisting them, at +372 5881 1311 (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm), and via email at counselling@pagulasabi.ee. Additionally, counselling services are available on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram at +372 5464 0007.

We assist refugees who have suddenly lost their accommodation in finding emergency shelter.

We offer support services intended for all individuals and their family members residing in Estonia who have received international (including temporary) protection, and whose need for additional support has been identified through an assessment conducted by the local municipality. The support services are funded by the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Ministry of the Interior. 

As part of the Community Programme, we organise regular group activities and community events across Estonia. This year, nearly 2400 people have participated in the Community Programme activities.

We organised a youth camp at Topu puhkemajas, where 20 young people aged 13–17 with a refugee background participated.

We launched the Estonian Refugee Forum, an informal representative body for the beneficiaries of international protection, aimed at supporting people with refugee backgrounds in representing their communities and collectively addressing their concerns. The application period has now ended, and over the summer participants will undergo a training programme to start working together in the autumn. 

The Community programme activities are supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

We continued conducting protection monitoring interviews among Ukrainian refugees.

We offer the MindSpring programme for refugees across Estonia, focusing on mental health. The first groups began in March 2023, and to date, over 31 groups have been established. A total of 250 individuals have participated in MindSpring groups in locations such as Keila, Haapsalu, Kohtla-Järve, Viljandi, Pärnu, Sillamäe, Türi, Rakvere, Tallinn, and Tartu. In January 2024, three new youth groups were launched.

In collaboration with the Pärnu City Government, we opened the portrait exhibition "Voices from the Crises: Stories of Displaced People" in Vallikääru Park, Pärnu, showcasing the stories of refugees living in Estonia.

We participated in the Opinion festival held in Paide on 9–10 August, where we discussed the topic “Do local authorities fear refugees?” with the UNHCR. The discussion was led by Olga Sõtnik from UNHCR and Sigrid Solnik from the Estonian Refugee Council. Additionally, Eero Janson, the Director of the Estonian Refugee Council, took part in the panel on "Border Control and Refugee Entry: Who Do We Let In?" in the Security Zone and the panel on "Continued Support for Ukraine: What's Next?" in the Foreign Policy Zone.

Georgia

In Georgia this year, we continue with community councils to empower civil society and give more voice to refugees. Community councils serve as informal representative bodies for refugees. In the first stage of the programme, Georgian IDPs and Ukrainian refugees participated, and in the second stage, which started this year, we welcome participation from refugees of all backgrounds. In collaboration with the local organisation Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Hub, we held the first meetings of the new cohort in June and July. The community councils programme in Georgia is supported by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre of International Development Cooperation.

We have launched an emergency livelihoods programme in Georgia. Through this programme aimed at Ukrainian refugees, we support long-term self-reliance by helping individuals start or continue home-based small businesses. Applications for the programme are open until August. The programme is supported by the Estonian Foreign Ministry. 

Armenia

We are preparing community councils and livelihood programme activities in Armenia to provide a platform for people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to represent their views and support their long-term resilience.

Jordan

In Jordan, we support the self-reliance of vulnerable women-led households through innovative and climate-friendly agricultural methods. We are preparing for the next phase of the programme, which involves developing our training centre and conducting training for 40 individuals. Of these, 12 will receive support to establish hydroponic greenhouses on their home plots. These greenhouses will allow women to grow food for personal consumption or enhance their income through crop value addition. Additionally, we will provide hydroponics training to four women-led community organisations to increase knowledge about water-saving agricultural practices throughout the region.
Estonian Refugee Council's activities in Jordan are supported by ESTDEV – Estonian Development Cooperation.