Calling all Christians and people of good faith into prayer for peace in Ukraine. Photo: Sunguk Kim/Unsplash

Peace and support for Ukraine

The military invasion of Ukraine by forces of the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022 sparked the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Almost 8 million people from Ukraine are registered as refugees in neighboring European countries, and more than 6.5 million are estimated to be displaced inside the country. (data UNHCR, Jan 2023). Most of them are women, children, and the elderly, as the male population of conscription age is only allowed to leave Ukraine under exceptional circumstances. 6.5 million people have been internally displaced. 15.1 million require humanitarian assistance inside and around Ukraine.

LWF responds to the war directly through humanitarian programs in Poland and Ukraine and through its local member churches in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Romania, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and the Slovak Republic. These churches provide shelter, food, pastoral care, and community services to refugees. LWF contributes to their work through project grants and the provision of additional staff capacity.  

Partners

A woman marks on a map what part of Ukraine she comes from, LWF staff – most them refugees from Ukraine – gather for the training in Bytom, Poland. Photo: LWF/Albin Hillert

In the days following the Russian invasion, LWF launched an emergency appeal and has been fundraising through ACT Alliance and other partners, including UNHCR, and various LWF member churches and congregations. LWF has also set up a Ukraine Crisis Church Response fund through which churches, dioceses, parishes, and Christian institutions can apply for support to local initiatives assisting refugees and host communities.

  • ACT Alliance
  • All We Can
  • Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR)
  • CORDAID
  • The Chinese Rhenish Church Hong Kong Synod
  • Christian World Service
  • Corus International / LWR
  • DAA-Austrian
  • Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
  • Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland (ECACP)
  • Evangelical Church of Brazil
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church Bavaria
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church Finland
  • ELC Wurttemberg
  • Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission (FELM)
  • German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (GELCU)
  • German National Committee
  • Humanosh Foundation
  • Japan Lutheran Church
  • Kerk in Actie
  • Lutheran World Relief (LWR)
  • M Sansanaa
  • Neighbor in Need
  • Polska Akcja Humanitarna (PAH)
  • UMCOR
  • UNHCR
  • United Church of Canada
  • United Church of Christ, USA
  • World of Neighbors
  • Youth Council of Kharkiv

LWF also received many generous contributions from parishes and individuals around the world. In the name of the people we serve, thank you very much for your support!

7
countries
with LWF member churches
2
humanitarian programs
LWF Ukraine and LWF Poland
19
million Euro
total budget of LWF Ukraine response.
75k
people
supported who are affected by the Ukraine war

Photo 1: Sunguk Kim/Unsplash | Photo 2: LWF/ Albin Hillert