Multidisciplinary mobile teams help Ukraine’s most vulnerable with their needs during the ongoing crisis

"
Thursday, April 20, 2023

Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, many internally displaced people demand psychosocial and legal support. World Vision and its implementation partner HealthRight Ukraine assist and help them to cope with the challenges.  

“I still see the fear in people’s eyes, especially if they have recently left the hot spots. They feel anxious and cannot understand what to do next,” shares Daryna Hrypas, a 21-year-old lady, who works as a coordinator of the Health Right Mobile Team in Dnipro.

According to the OCHA report, more than five million people had to flee their homes and became displaced within the country when the full-scale conflict broke out. Most of them have found their “safe haven” in dormitories, shelters, and halfway houses.

"
Yulia, a Health Right team member talks to one of the displaced children in the shelter. 

 

World Vision’s local partner Health Right has organized eight multidisciplinary mobile teams (MMT) across Ukraine. The main purpose of MMT is to provide psychosocial support and services in communities.

“In this shelter, there are approximately 55 people. All of them are internally displaced people (IDP), who were forced to leave their homes due to threats to their lives. From now on, it is a big community in which they have their own rules and their own schedule. Every day we travel from shelter to shelter and help them with different issues” adds Daryna.

Unfortunately, many Ukrainians have faced legal problems since the beginning of the crisis. The most widespread questions are related to the recovery of documents that certify a person's identity, submission of documents to obtain IDP status, change of residence, etc. The mobile team has a specialist, who works closely with people in need.

"
The team moves from different shelters in Ukraine to provide various assistance, from psychosocial activities to legal consultations.

 

“I provide legal consultation for our beneficiaries who stay in IDPs shelters. I can help them with different kinds of questions. For instance, I recently had a case where a family could not receive an inheritance. And we’ve been working on it for several weeks,” tells Daria Astafiyeva, who works as a lawyer at Health Right.

Daria joined the mobile team in September 2022. She decided to become a humanitarian and serve fellow Ukrainians as she understands the needs of the most vulnerable.   

I am grateful that we provide people with psychosocial support. I believe that it is an important service that helps displaced people to overcome the challenges they face on their journey to stability and hope.

“I wanted to help people who were affected by the war. I knew I had a lot of strength for it. This is my mission and I like it. To be honest, when I came out of maternity leave, I realized how much I was missing,” shares Daria.

Even though Daria is a lawyer, she shares other duties with her colleagues. Sometimes she works with children, providing them with psychosocial support.

"
The team in discussion with a displaced women needing legal advice. Reaching out to Ukrainians who fled their homes during the crisis serves as a lifeline to many families.

 

“We work together as a team. It does not matter that I am a lawyer. We help each other from time to time. I also like spending time with these children. They deserve so much more than that. Today we are painting with them. Art therapy helps them to cope with stress. As a mother, I understand their needs, so it’s not hard at all,” explains Daria.

The mobile team maintains contact with people even after they leave the shelters. This helps them always feel supported.

"
As a mother and also displaced herself, Daria fully understands the needs of fellow Ukrainians during the ongoing crisis and does her share to help.

 

I am grateful that we provide people with psychosocial support. I believe that it is an important service that helps displaced people to overcome the challenges they face on their journey to stability and hope,” says Blerina Lako, Chief of Party, BHA-funded project.

The mental health and psychological support activities that World Vision provides for people in need are possible with the funding of donors – ACTED Ukraine, USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) and Ukraine Response Consortium.

"
HealthRight and World Vision teams coming together to collaborate and strengthen assistance for the millions of people who were displaced and in urgent need.

 

Story and photos by Oleksandra Shapkina, Communications Officer