“It's like in the movies, but this is not a movie. This is reality. This is our lives.”
As the war in Ukraine enters a third year, UNICEF stays to deliver and adapts essential sanitation and hygiene solutions to meet children’s needs.
Amidst the sounds of war, Olga and her nine-year-old daughter Leona faced the heart-wrenching decision to flee their home in Kyiv. With each passing day, the threat of being cut off from the world loomed larger, as nearby areas lost electricity and essential services.
"We have to leave our homes, our relatives, our friends, and go to other countries,” Olga said from a UNICEF-supported Blue Dot centre in Romania. “It's like in the movies, but this is not a movie. This is reality. This is our lives.”
Olga’s words capture the profound impact of the war on ordinary lives. As the war enters a third year, it continues to turn every day into an experience fraught with uncertainty and fear. For Olga and Leona, their decision was to flee with the possessions they could carry – a reality shared by countless other mothers and children since the start of the war.
Access to the essentials
Over six million Ukrainian children are in need of humanitarian assistance, both inside Ukraine and in other countries to which they have fled, many of whom are deprived of basic necessities and living under the constant threat of violence.
One of the most urgent needs is access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Vital infrastructure and services are being damaged or disrupted across Ukraine, leaving many without this basic human right. As a core part of its emergency response, UNICEF is providing WASH supplies to children and families by procuring essential goods from suppliers closest to Ukraine. This has allowed for faster delivery, greater cost-efficiency and customization of supplies to meet the specific and changing needs of children and their parents.
Relying on traditional supplies was not enough
UNICEF typically procures individual WASH items such as soap, buckets, water purification tablets, detergent and sanitary pads from multiple suppliers globally on a “best value for money” principle. These goods are then delivered to our network of global supply hubs where they are packed and stored as kits, ready to be delivered to children in crisis.
When the war in Ukraine started, UNICEF immediately dispatched a range of critical supplies – including pre-packed WASH kits – from its logistics hub in Copenhagen. However, carrying this out against the backdrop of logistics bottlenecks and container shortages caused by COVID-19 became challenging. A solution was needed, and it came in the form of local procurement – buying critical goods from companies much closer to Ukraine than UNICEF’s existing suppliers.
Fast-track contracts
“With the disruptions and delays we saw, it was obvious that relying on our traditional suppliers in China and India would not get WASH kits to Ukrainian children quickly enough,” says Aurelia Gasca, WASH Contracts Manager at UNICEF Supply Division.
Sourcing supplies from Türkiye and Bulgaria meant they could be transported overland, avoiding airfreight costs and shipping delays. Regional manufacturers could also customize kits based on the evolving situation and feedback from receiving families to UNICEF staff working in Ukraine. Working in emergency mode, UNICEF scoured markets for products and negotiated fast-track contracts.
Delivering the goods
Working closely with teams on the ground, UNICEF developed WASH kits customized for different vulnerable groups. Distribution is prioritized for the worst-hit areas of Eastern Ukraine.
For mothers and children fleeing their homes, UNICEF provides hygiene kits for people on the move. Containing just the essentials like soap, sanitary pads and laundry detergent, these portable kits are designed for families who need to travel light.
“A mother escaping with her child didn’t need a month’s supply for a five-person household. She needed a basic kit to meet her child’s immediate needs with items she could carry,” explains Gasca.
In areas with damaged infrastructure, UNICEF supplies comprehensive short-term hygiene kits for families sheltering in place. These include items like jerrycans, buckets and water purification tablets to ensure a temporary supply of clean water.
For group shelters and institutions housing displaced children, kits provided facilities like water filters and containers. Hygiene items were also provided in bulk.
“By procuring regionally, we could modify kits based on the latest information from our teams,” said Gasca. “Their insights on evolving needs were absolutely critical.”
Responding to rapidly changing realities
In 2023, over 163,000 of various types of kits have reached more than 932,000 people across Ukraine. The year before, in 2022, supplies were distributed to at least 866,120 people in Ukraine affected and displaced by the war.
“While the crisis continues, flexibility and responsiveness will be key,” Gasca emphasizes. “By working hand-in-hand with local teams, we ensure that life-saving supplies reach Ukraine’s children when they need them most.”
