Remarkable generosity has been a true lifeline for a war-torn country. Together, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal has raised over $14 million Australian dollars from every walk of life.
Every donation, from a single child's pocket money of $24.10 to generous sums of $500,000, has combined to change, save, and improve the lives of thousands.
We are indebted to donors, as is every person in Ukraine whose life you have touched.
Even with this incredible success, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine remains dire, and the daily reality for millions is a continued fight for survival.
The most urgent problems are not only just about immediate relief; they are the fundamental challenges that threaten the future of a nation. This includes the massive psychological toll of trauma and the growing mental health crisis among those who have witnessed unthinkable tragedy, especially children and families.
We also face the monumental task of rebuilding homes and critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools; the constant struggle to deliver basic necessities like food and medical supplies to those in war-torn regions; the struggle to educate a generation of children displaced from their homes; and the looming threat of winter, which will make a lack of shelter even more dangerous. Additionally, we must not forget the thousands of veterans and their families who are facing immense physical and psychological challenges as they work to rebuild their lives.
Donor support is a lifeline. It allows us to directly address these life-or-death issues, restoring hope and ensuring that communities have the tools and resources they need to heal and rebuild for the long run.
Attached is a brief overview of the aid that life-changing donations have made.
Thank you again for your incredible support.
#TogetherWeStandWithUkraine
With gratitude
Diahanna (Darka} Senko, Chair, Ukraine Crisis Appeal
Director, Humanitarian Aid & Medical Aid Initiatives
Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations
Humanitarian & Medical Aid Report | June 2025
This report highlights the key initiatives undertaken by the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) to June 2025, detailing the significant impact achieved on the ground and outlining the strategic priorities that will guide our ongoing response.
Together, through coordinated efforts and generous support, we remain committed to aiding in alleviating suffering and restoring hope in Ukraine’s most affected regions.
Key Humanitarian and Medical Aid Programs
Emergency Humanitarian Response — Sumy Region
In mid 2025, Caritas Ukraine launched an urgent appeal to support vulnerable communities in Sumy Oblast — one of Ukraine’s most exposed regions near the Russian border, including Bilopillia, Seredyna-Buda, and Krasnopillia, enduring daily shelling, infrastructure destruction and repeated evacuations, severely limiting access to food, hygiene and safety.
Public services in the region are stretched far beyond capacity. Hospitals, schools, and community facilities struggle to function under the strain of damaged infrastructure, dwindling resources, and the constant risk of renewed strikes. Ongoing security threats make it extremely difficult for humanitarian workers to reach those in greatest need, leaving many communities isolated and desperate.
In partnership with Caritas Sumy, Caritas Ukraine is stepping in to provide comprehensive humanitarian assistance tailored to each community’s needs. This includes the delivery of emergency food parcels, hygiene kits, warm clothing, blankets and other essential items, along with targeted support to help families survive the harsh winter months.
The project places special priority on the most vulnerable — persons with disabilities, large families struggling to care for children, single parents, and individuals over 60, many of whom are unable to evacuate or live in damaged homes. Every step of the response will be guided by transparency, accountability, and flexibility, ensuring that aid is delivered swiftly, fairly, and effectively to those who need it most.
For the people of Sumy Oblast, every act of support is more than charity — it is a lifeline, a reminder that they have not been forgotten. This is addition to the humanitarian aid we provided in 2022-23 were our aid reached an estimated 1,182 million people and provided 30,000+ displaced people with emergency housing.
Together, we can help protect lives, restore dignity, and bring hope to communities living on the very frontlines of this war.
UCA Impact:
- 900 individuals provided with essential food aid
- 1,100 individuals received hygiene kits, including items tailored for people with disabilities, families with infants, and the elderly
- Budget: AUD $100,000
National Rehabilitation Centre “UNBROKEN”
The Charity Foundation
UNBROKEN, in partnership with the First Lviv Territorial Medical Union, provides world-class medical care to civilians and defenders who have suffered life-changing injuries as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Since the start of the war, the centre has treated over 20,000 patients with the most severe and complex injuries — including traumatic amputations, burns, fractures, and neurological damage.
Beyond saving lives, UNBROKEN is dedicated to helping patients reclaim their independence and dignity. The medical team includes some of Ukraine’s leading surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and psychologists, working side-by-side to ensure every patient receives not just urgent treatment, but a pathway to recovery.
Most recently, the centre opened a specialised Rehabilitation Department for Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries — a first-of-its-kind initiative in Ukraine — designed to care for up to 30 of the most complex cases at any given time. Here, patients receive intensive physical therapy, advanced assistive technologies, and personalised care plans aimed at restoring mobility, function, and quality of life.
Every person treated at UNBROKEN carries a story of unimaginable resilience. With ongoing support, the centre will continue to be a lifeline for thousands more — proving that even in war, healing and hope are possible.
Key UCA Achievements:
- Funding of 10 hospital beds designed for spinal cord injury patients
- Beds feature electric adjustment, independent backrest and leg positioning, and Trendelenburg functionality
- Cost per bed: 123,900 UAH
- Committee representatives Darka Senko and Teresa Lachowicz visited the Centre in 2025 to monitor funded equipment and patient care outcomes
VAC Ulta Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Systems
With the relentless intensity of the war and the alarming rise in complex traumatic injuries – from devastating blast wounds to severe burns and infected soft-tissue injuries – Ukrainian hospitals face a critical need to expand their wound care capacity.
One highly effective solution is the VAC Ulta — an advanced Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) system that is proven to save lives and improve recovery in conflict settings.
The VAC Ulta provides significant clinical benefits:
- Promotes faster wound healing by applying controlled negative pressure to remove infectious material, reduce oedema, and encourage tissue growth.
- Reduces the risk of severe infection, including in high-risk blast injuries.
- Allows for automated wound cleansing with instillation therapy, minimizing the burden on overstretched medical staff.
- Proven in conflict zones – NPWT is a gold standard for managing complex wounds and contaminated injuries in war settings.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are now able to deliver two of these vital units directly to surgeons in Lviv, Ukraine, ensuring they can provide faster, safer, and more effective care to those most severely injured by the war.
Every machine is more than just equipment – it’s a chance to save a limb, prevent an infection, and give a patient the best possible shot at recovery.
Faith U-CRANE has arrived
We are pleased to announce purchase of a 50-tonne rescue crane for the State Emergency Services operating in Odesa. The crane, which will operate in regions affected by war-related destruction, will play a critical role in search-and-rescue missions, the stabilization of damaged buildings, and the safe removal of debris in hard-hit communities.
However, this lifesaving piece of equipment required a name and the 'Name the Crane' competition was launched across Ukrainian Cultural Schools. After numerous inspiring submissions, the results are in: the new heavy-duty rescue crane has officially been named "FaithU-Crane" as suggested by Roman Lototskyi from Sydney and Lara Vivian from Adelaide.
The name stood out for its powerful wordplay, combining a direct reference to Ukraine with a nod to the machine’s vital function in lifting debris and supporting life-saving rescue efforts.
“We have been delivering ambulances into Ukraine for sometime, but I then received a request from the Ukrainian emergency services team (SESU) in Odesa that they needed a 50-tonne rescue crane! On a recent visit to Lviv, SESU showed me how the first responders would use the rescue crane to quickly remove the rubble from bomb sites, so that the survivors can be immediately evacuated and moved to the ambulances. Dozens of generous Australians did not hesitate to fund the purchase of the rescue crane when they saw the horror of Russians continuing to bomb hospitals, ambulances, schools and apartment buildings – attacks that have no possible justification. I am proud to say that we Australians continue to find innovative ways to provide humanitarian support to Ukraine’s first responders – funding ambulances, rescue cranes, generators, medical supplies, firefighting facilities, and much more.” – Ukraine Crisis Appeal project manager Chris Leptos
SESU has now requested a fire truck and emergency vehicles, which we are now looking to raise funds for.
Vscan Air CL Ultrasound Initiative
Portable ultrasound technology saves lives— especially in the chaos of the battlefield and in emergency hospital wards.In Ukraine, where medics and doctors work under relentless pressure, the ability to diagnose injuries quickly and accurately can mean the difference between life and death.
The Vscan Air CL is a state-of-the-art, wireless handheld ultrasound system that has proven its value in both frontline and hospital settings.
Progress:
- 145 Ukrainian technicians trained to use Vscan Air CL devices, funded by UCA donors
- 20 additional units to be purchased in 2025 (AUD $104,500)
- CPD-accredited training delivered by Dr Andrew Dobrotwir, coordinated by Teresa Lachowicz
- Contingency plan for online delivery and shipment via Nova Poshta if Kyiv-based sessions are unsafe
In Ukraine, the Vscan Air CL has already demonstrated its life-saving impact— giving doctors in field hospitals and emergency rooms the tools they need to make swift, informed decisions, even under fire.
This technology is more than just equipment. It is speed, precision, and hope — placed directly into the hands of those saving lives on the frontlines.
Paediatric Neurosurgery – Tabletochki Foundation
In 2024, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) contributed AUD $100,000 to the
Tabletochki Charitable Foundation to supply advanced neurosurgical devices for the treatment of children with brain and spinal cord tumours – the most common form of childhood cancer in Ukraine.
In 2025 Ukraine Crisis Appeal then provided lifesaving surgical equipment via Tabletochki to the Clinical Centre of Paediatric Medicine in Lviv, to ensure Ukrainian children receive the vital treatment they need and deserve, at a total cost of $273.000 AUD.
This centre is one of Ukraine’s leading Children’s Hospitals, home to an exceptional neurosurgical team of highly skilled specialists. The team performs over 300 life-saving surgeries each year, including around 120 procedures for children battling cancer. Their expertise and dedication give young patients the best possible chance at recovery, even in the most complex cases.
Over the next five years, 1,500 children will rely on the Centre’s ability to deliver critical, life-saving and life-enhancing care. Each piece of equipment provided through this project directly supports these surgeries — enabling precise interventions, reducing complications, and improving long-term outcomes for young patients.
In the midst of war and instability, this partnership ensures that children with cancer in Ukraine are not forgotten, and that they can continue to receive the world-class medical treatment they desperately need and deserve.
2024 Outcomes:
- 37 children from across Ukraine received life-saving surgical supplies
- 40 complex procedures performed at National Children’s Specialised Hospital Ohmatdyt and Children’s Medicine Centre, Lviv
Ambulance & Emergency Vehicle Supply
In 2024 Partnering with Medical Lifelines Ukraine (MLLU), the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) supported the procurement, refurbishment, and delivery of fully equipped ambulances and emergency response vehicles to communities across Ukraine. Each vehicle is fitted with essential life-saving equipment — from defibrillators and ventilators to trauma kits — enabling medics to provide critical care at the scene and safely transport patients to hospital. These ambulances are a lifeline for civilians and defenders alike, ensuring that urgent medical help can reach those in need, even in the most dangerous and hard-to-access areas.
A new convoy is planned for November and 2026.
Impact to date:
- 10 ambulances delivered
- 4 evacuation vehicles deployed
- 4 Generators
- Volunteer drivers, including Australian supporters, ensured safe transport across the Polish border into Ukraine
Nazareth Veteran Rehabilitation Program – established in 2019
Nazareth Rehabilitation Centre provides comprehensive physical, psychological, and social reintegration support for war veterans and their families.
The Ukraine Crisis Appeal funded a gymnasium for the Nazareth Centre, named in honour of our late leader, +Stefan Romaniw. He dedicated his life to Ukraine and its people and the Diaspora, and deeply valued the Centre's work, calling it 'Jesus's work’.
Nazareth is more than a rehabilitation centre — it’s a place of hope and community. Here,veterans find strength to recover physically, heal psychologically, reconnect with family, and rediscover a sense of purpose. Spouses and children receive the care and support they need too, so no one has to walk this journey alone.
Every step taken in the Nazareth gym, every conversation in its counselling rooms, and every shared meal in its community spaces is a step toward healing — proving that recovery is not only possible, but deeply human.
Key Milestones between August 2024 and July 2025:
- 116 veterans in inpatient psychological recoveryprogram (average duration - 18 days);veterans in inpatient psychological recovery program;
- 34 veterans in rehabilitation from alcohol, drug and gambling addiction;
- 40 received direct assistance (foreveling their own business, home repairs, utility bills, medical treatment, etc.)
- over 700 covered through outreach activities - pottery workshops, coordination meetings, hospital visits, etc
- 163 women - wives or mothers of veterans or active seice men ere covered through psychological consultations or oreach actities.
- 37 children of veterans participate in Nazareth activities.
- Gymnasium funded in honour of the late Stefan Romaniw
Humanitarian & Medical Aid Shipments
Since 2022, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) has coordinated the shipment of over AUD $2.7 million worth of life-saving medical and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, working in close partnership with Rotary Donations in Kind in Australia and Rotary Gdynia in Poland.
This effort has resulted in:
- Four fully loaded 40-foot shipping containers delivered to the Rotary Lviv warehouse — with a fifth scheduled for late 2025.
- Contents including radiology and orthopaedic equipment, trauma care supplies,surgical instruments, dried protein meals, winter clothing, generators,defibrillators, and other urgently needed items.
- Support for over 20 hospitals and clinics, ensuring frontline medics and civilian healthcare facilities have the tools they need to save lives.
- An additional 232 pallets of supplies airlifted in the first 18 months of the war through the support of Qantas and the Australian Defence Force.
These shipments have reached communities across Ukraine, delivering hope alongside critical resources – from medical devices that enable complex surgeries, to warm clothing and food that sustain families through harsh winters. Every container represents a powerful network of generosity, logistics, and determination to stand with Ukraine in its time of greatest need.
Container # 5 is scheduled for late October 2025 and we are sourcing medical and surgical equipment and would be grateful for assistance with locating donated equipment.
Safe Homes & Psychosocial Care
Through Caritas Ukraine, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) supports displaced families with children through the Safe Homes Project — a lifeline for those who have lost everything to the war.
The project provides:
- Secure shelter in Dobrivliany for up to 20 families at a time
- Counselling, educational support, integration activities, and small-scale farming
- To date, 400 children and 40 adults have been supported
- UCA has committed over $91k for 2025
Since its launch, the Safe Homes Project has supported over 400 children and 40 adults, offering not just a roof over their heads, but a safe and nurturing environment where they can begin to heal and rebuild their lives.
For 2025, UCA has committed over AUD $91,000 to continue and strengthen this vital program — ensuring that even in the midst of war, children can experience safety, stability and joy.
Child Friendly Space – Berdychiv
In Berdychiv, where the war has left 240 families grieving the loss of a parent, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal (UCA) funds vital trauma-informed spaces designed specifically for children and their caregivers.
These safe, supportive environments provide tailored therapy, mobile outreach, and resilience-building programs that help families navigate the profound emotional challenges caused by loss and conflict.
2025 Results:
- 450 children & 105 caregivers reached so far
- Ongoing goal: support 500+ children and adults annually through mobile outreach, therapy, and resilience-building programs
- UCA committed over $70k in funds for 2025
Through this support, children and families in Berdychiv are finding pathways toward healing, strength, and hope – proving that even in the darkest times, compassionate care can rebuild lives and futures.
Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs)
The Operator IFAK (Immediate First Aid Kit) is a compact, high-quality trauma care kit designed to deliver life-saving medical attention at the point of injury — critical in fast-moving frontline and emergency situations.
Each kit contains essential tools to manage severe injuries until professional medical help can arrive, including:
- 1 x Tourniquet for controlling life-threatening bleeding
- 1 x 4-inch Olaes Bandage for wound dressing and pressure application
- 1 x Hyfin Vent Compact Chest Seal to treat chest injuries and prevent complications
- 2 x pairs of Nitrile Gloves to ensure hygiene and safety
- 1 x CPR Face Shield for safe resuscitation
- 1 x Trauma Shears for cutting clothing or bandages in emergencies
- 1 x Casualty Card to record vital patient information for first responders
It is now recommende by the Ukrainian Government that each individual carry an individual first aid kit. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal has procured 100 of these life-saving kits to supply to Ukrainians living close to the front lines.
Every Operator IFAK is a vital tool that empowers civilians, volunteers, and defenders alike to provide immediate, effective first aid — saving lives when seconds count.
Committee & Governance
The Committee are all dedicated volunteers and experienced in understanding community and the needs of Ukraine. They oversee project management, partner selection, due diligence, fundraising, and financial oversight.
Conclusion & Acknowledgement
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of 16,700 donors, volunteers, and partner organisations in Australia and Ukraine, the Ukraine Crisis Appeal continues to deliver hope, vital supplies, and life-saving care to those who need it most.
Together, we stand in unwavering solidarity with Ukraine’s most vulnerable – working to restore dignity, rebuild health, and inspire hope for a brighter future.
Support us today and make a tax-deductible donation to help save lives and rebuild communities. Every gift, no matter how much, makes a difference.
Diahanna (Darka) Senko
AFUO Director Humanitarian and Medical Aid
Chair, AFUO Humanitarian Aid Initiatives Committee (HAIC)
Chair, Ukraine Crisis Appeal and Ukraine Crisis Appeal Resettlement Funds
