Depaul International and Ukranian homeless
Depaul Kharkiv expands to support more homeless people in need across Ukraine. A subsidiary charity of Depaul International, has begun work in Odessa southern Ukraine, expanding its services outside of Kharkiv (Ukraine’s second largest city) for the first time since the charity formed in 2007.
With funding from Medicor and support from the Vincentian fathers in the Odessa region, the charity is now providing an outreach bus service to over 400 homeless people each week. The bus travels around the city stopping at a number of locations giving food, medical care and advice. The bus is large enough for people to come inside and escape the cold weather and harsh conditions for a short while and then returns at the same time five days a week. The huge demand clearly shows the need for a support service like this in the area and although the project is currently only funded for a one year pilot, the case is already being built for further long term funding to provide a range of homelessness support services in Odessa.
Depaul Kharkiv was formed in 2007 in partnership with the Vincentian Fathers in Kharkiv to tackle the pressing issue of street homelessness amongst young children in the area. Depaul Kharkiv initially provided a minibus outreach service providing food and medical care to children living on the streets of the city. Over the last three years the service has expanded to support street children in a number of ways. The organisation now works with children and older homeless people to prevent homelessness as well as those already on the streets. They work directly with state orphanages, supporting children and the orphanage staff to ensure that children to do not run away and end up on the streets. A dedicated daycentre has also opened that offers advice, medical care and washing facilities for children on the streets; and also works with children from crisis families, providing support and guidance to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place. The organisation works with young people inside prison, who have often been arrested just for being homeless. Depaul Kharkiv offers legal advice to help secure their release, as well as providing basic necessities such as food and clothing. Homelessness in Kharkiv is not contained to just children and there are large numbers of homeless adults sleeping rough on the streets of the city. Depaul Kharkiv has responded to this need by providing food and medical care on a daily basis in the grounds of the Catholic Cathedral in Gogola Street. This space offers a safe, reflective space for food, support and advice to be given.
Depaul Kharkiv’s excellent work in the region has been supported by the Vincentian fathers, the Daughters of Charity and the AIC throughout its three year history and has now helped over 2200 individuals. The organisation looks set to expand yet further in 2012 with a daycentre and nightshelter in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital city. As the organisation goes from strength to strength and continues to support homeless people across the country, the organisation is set to be renamed as Depaul Ukraine to reflect its growth and the impact it is having on those most in need in Ukraine.
To find out more about the work of Depaul International and its other subsidiary charities in Slovakia, Ireland, UK and USA please go to www.depaulinternational.org
Reflection:
- Do you see any adaptions of this Vincentian work in your area?
- Would you be interested in learning more about this work?
Tags: Depaul International, Homelessness