Attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities lead to serious damage to heat supply systems and electrical networks. Without heat and light: UNICEF warns of the deteriorating situation of families in Ukraine Humanitarian assistance
Ukraine is experiencing its “hardest winter” since the start of a full-scale war. Temperatures are dropping below minus 20 degrees, and impacts to energy infrastructure are leaving hundreds of thousands of people without heating and electricity, Kenan Madi, head of field operations for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the country, told UN News Service.
According to him, since the end of December, attacks on energy facilities have become more frequent, which led to serious damage to heat supply systems and electrical networks. As a result, essential services are being disrupted in major cities.
“I have been here for more than three and a half years and I can say from personal experience: this is the most difficult winter Ukraine has seen,” Madi said.
Children in cold and isolation
The crisis affects children especially acutely, UNICEF emphasizes. In Ukrainian cities, most people live in multi-storey buildings designed for centralized heating. In its absence, it is extremely difficult to find alternative heat sources.
“Every aspect of a child’s life is now complicated,” Madi said, citing the example of children with disabilities. He talked about the rehabilitation center he visited recently. Many children cannot get there because the elevators do not work due to power cuts.
“These children can no longer leave their apartments. Inside, the temperature drops to two or three degrees, there is no heating. This poses serious risks to their health,” he emphasized.
Due to power outages, schools are closed, depriving children of the opportunity to study. According to Madi, children “are sitting at home, in the cold, in the dark, unable to go to school, and there is no end in sight.”
Risks to health and mental health
UNICEF is concerned not only about the physical condition of children, but also about their mental health.
“Today it is difficult to single out just one risk. Children are at risk in all areas: huge learning losses, illness due to cold, severe pressure on mental health, living in constant fear and darkness,” said the UNICEF representative.
The situation of children with serious illnesses, who require special equipment powered by electricity to maintain their lives, is of particular concern. “We receive many requests to help such families with alternative energy sources,” Madi noted.
Support UNICEF
UNICEF is expanding its winter assistance program. The organization provides financial support to the most vulnerable families with children more than 200 thousand people have already received it.
In addition, the UN Children’s Fund is developing protection and psychosocial support programs. Schools receive grants to purchase heating equipment.
The organization also supports utility companies by supplying high-power generators, repair equipment and materials to restore water and heating systems. Together with emergency services, UNICEF is helping to set up warming points – places where people can stay warm, charge their devices and receive psychological support.
Madi spoke about a meeting with an elderly woman who brought her granddaughter Ira to such a point. The girl studied there with a psychologist. There is no electricity in their building, the elevator does not work, and the apartment is cold and dark. The elderly woman had to walk down the stairs, holding her granddaughter in her arms. She clearly had difficulty moving, Madi noted. But the grandmother wanted her Ira to see the light, to warm up a little, and for someone to talk to her. When asked how she would then get back home, the woman replied: “Yes, it’s very difficult, but it’s worth it.”
Call for peace
According to Madi, humanitarian workers themselves live in the same conditions as residents cities, – without light and heat. Nevertheless, they continue to fulfill their mission, inspired by the resilience of Ukrainians.
The UNICEF representative emphasized: “The consequences of war for children are colossal, and they are extremely difficult to overcome. It’s not just about financing. It’s not just about the humanitarian response. The point is that one day we will all be able to live in peace for the sake of the children of Ukraine and the entire planet. We hope this day will come. In the meantime, we continue to work.”