Today we mark 1 year of war in Ukraine

Today we mark 1 year of war in Ukraine

Since Februari 24th 2022, United Nations and many humanitarian organisations helped 16 million people in Ukraine by donating goods and raising funds during the Russian’s invasion. EFDN also launched an appeal for humanitarian aid and the response was overwhelming.

Last year on the same date, Ukraine was attacked by the Russian troops and many Ukrainian citizens were forced to leave their home to seek a new place. Thousands of citizens, including children have been killed, injured and mentally traumatized and their cities are in ruins.

However, many humanitarian organisations and people worldwide have been supporting Ukraine since last year by donating money and goods as well as providing temporary shelters to the Ukrainian refugees. EFDN and its member network have been actively involved in supporting Ukraine and its citizens since last year. We have made a recap of some of the activities that have been undertaken by the different foundations in collaboration with EFDN. Also a special thank you to Standard Liege and Blackburn Rovers FC Community Trust.

Foundation 92 supports the people of Ukraine

On March 10, EFDN launched an urgent appeal to Football Clubs, Leagues and Associations across Europe to support an emergency ‘Shelter Centre’ in Lviv Stadium in Lviv, Ukraine. Shakhtar alongside local authorities utilised the Lviv Stadium to open its doors to those in need. To succeed, Lviv Arena urgently needed Europe’s clubs and associations to supply essential items – particularly mattresses, travel cots, blankets, pillows and bed linen.

Foundation 92, the charity foundation of Salford City Football Club donated materials in the Greater Manchester area and then went on the ferry to the Netherlands. Foundation 92 met the EFDN crew at the stadium of Feyenoord Rotterdam to hand over all the goods in person.

Aston Villa Foundation donated to EFDN Ukraine appeal

Since April 2022, the Aston Villa Foundation has been working with football clubs across Europe to help appeal for donations to be sent to Ukraine. The football community came together alongside organisers from Ukrainian top-flight club Shakhtar Donetsk, who were helping set up and run an emergency ‘Shelter Centre’ at Lviv Stadium. The need for safe refuge became more desperate as terrified people flee war-torn towns and cities across the country. However, with few safe havens remaining, Shakhtar, alongside local authorities, were utilising the Lviv Stadium to open its doors to those in need.

AFC Wimbledon brought donations for Ukraine to EFDN

On the 6th of April, the International Day for Sport For Development and Peace, staff members of AFC Wimbledon and their foundation dropped off all the donations they got for the people in Ukraine. The club responded in a magnificent way to EFDN’s appeal to help Ukraine and brought a lorry full of goods to support the emergency ‘shelter centre’ of EFDN member Shakhtar Donetsk in Lviv.

Schalke 04 brought donations for Ukraine to EFDN headquarters in Breda

Together with colleagues from the club and with the Schalke sports departments, the club’s own Schalke hilft! foundation drove a large quantity of donations to the headquarters of the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) on Thursday (31 March) and handed them over there. The filled boxes were transported by EFDN to the collection point at Legia Warsaw to reach the emergency accommodation centre in Lviv run by former Schalke European Cup opponents Shakhtar Donetsk.

‘European Football powers up Ukraine’ campaign

In November 2022, FC Shakhtar and the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) launched the European Football Powers Up Ukraine project, a campaign to collect power generators for Ukrainians. Clubs were requested to donate from 1 to 5 power generators of any capacity in order to participate in the initiative. The campaign goal was to collect 160 generators minimum, i.e. one from each EFDN member club. 

The initiative of FC Shakhtar was supported by the Legia Warsaw Foundation (Fundacja Legii). Power generators received from the football clubs will be used to support the Shelter Centre work at the Arena Lviv in Lviv (about 200 people live there; 70 of them are children), as well as to organise support points for Ukrainians throughout Ukraine. 

Multiple clubs in Europe have contributed to the ‘European Football powers up Ukraine’ project including: Rangers FC Foundation, Celtic FC Foundation, Real Madrid Foundation, NAC Breda, Werder Bremen, Feyenoord Rotterdam, Slavia Prague, ADO Den Haag, LOSC Lille, Legia Warsaw, Benfica FC Foundation