Ukraine Conflict: American Red Cross Supports Critical Cash Assistance Program

By Edgar Zúñiga Jr., Ukraine Communications Delegate, American Red Cross

In the wake of the Ukraine conflict, the Red Cross network has not only provided essential cash assistance for shelter, food and emergency supplies, but has also launched one of the largest cash assistance programs in the history of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. 

Oksana, a mother who fled Ukraine with her two children, shared her gratitude: “Thanks to the Red Cross, I was able to buy medicine and also a bicycle for my son. It has made such a difference in his quality of life,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. Oksana's nine-year-old son, who has autism spectrum disorder, greatly benefits from the bicycle, recommended by doctors to improve his problem-solving and motor skills. This purchase was out of reach for Oksana, but with the Red Cross multipurpose cash assistance, she was able to decide how to best use the funds for her family's needs. “The war made everything worse, but the bicycle has made such a difference in his everyday life; he can be a child,” she said.

VITAL ASSISTANCE A survey commissioned by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) revealed that a third of Ukrainians had to borrow money just to meet their basic needs. For 40% of those receiving multipurpose cash assistance, it became their primary income source. This assistance has been vital for over 1.1 million participants in the program.

The American Red Cross played a significant role in the cash assistance program, providing technical support and developing a self-registration app for cash distribution to people affected by the conflict in Ukraine and eight other European countries. American Red Cross volunteers also provided on-site technical assistance during the app's rollout.

Gabriele Jasunskiene from the Lithuanian Red Cross emphasized the importance of this support: “With [American Red Crosser] Kanhong Lin, we have a friendship now. He supported us from the beginning, and we had never had experience with cash distribution like this before. We will continue using this model.”

Lin, a consultant with International Response and Recovery at the American Red Cross, led the app's development and collaborated with other American Red Crossers, including Monica Shah and Stephen Hagerich, to design and implement cash assistance programs for people impacted by the Ukraine crisis.

Thanks to the generosity of the American people, the American Red Cross not only provided technical support but also contributed $24 million to fund multipurpose cash assistance for those affected by the Ukraine conflict in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

Multipurpose cash assistance has been a key part of the response, but it's not the only way the American Red Cross has helped. The organization has contributed over $99 million to support its Red Cross network partners in and outside Ukraine, including the IFRC and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society. The American Red Cross has also supported other sister National Societies, such as the Polish Red Cross, Romanian Red Cross, and Hungarian Red Cross, all bordering Ukraine, as well as the German Red Cross and Danish Red Cross, which are assisting some of the most vulnerable people in Ukraine.

Moreover, the American Red Cross has provided $24.5 million to external partners assisting Ukrainians, including Mercy Corps and Core Response. In Ukraine, the American Red Cross has supported various sister National Societies operating in the country, including the German Red Cross, in creating mobile health units that have assisted over 46,000 people.