Українська версія: посилання
wersja polska: link
At this difficult time, we would like to express our pain and solidarity with the victims of the invasion of Ukraine. The recent events have affected the lives of all Ukrainian citizens, both in the country itself and abroad. Refugees seeking refuge in Poland can count on help and support from official institutions, charities, as well as all good-hearted people.
Among the current information overload, both donors as well as those in need, may find it difficult to single out credible forms of help, so we’ve decided to create a database of verified information, set to be updated on a regular basis.
Our goal is to collect effective and trustworthy initiatives supporting Ukrainians in need. Please share this information widely so that it reaches the largest audience possible. If you would like to add more information, share suggestions, or help in any other way, please contact us at kontakt@efektywnyaltruizm.org. This project was initiated and is coordinated by Chris Szulc, who is involved with the EA movement in Poland and the Netherlands.
Our day-to-day mission at the Effective Altruism Poland foundation is verifying charitable organizations in terms of the effectiveness of the aid they provide. That is why now, despite the unusual, rapidly-changing conditions, we have undertaken recommending reliable, credible and effective fundraisers and organisations providing assistance to people in Ukraine and to Ukrainian refugees.
Before deciding to add an initiative to the list, we ask ourselves a number of questions. If you want to know what criteria we use and why this is important to us, we recommend reading this article: https://efektywnyaltruizm.org/blog/how-do-we-evaluate-organizations-helping-ukrainians
As the situation is pressing, our initial recommendations are based on rough estimates. The database will be expanded over time.
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[latest update: 30.03.2022, 00:30 AM]
HumanDoc Foundation
https://humandoc.pl/en/ukraine/ukraine-how-can-you-help/
The HumanDoc Foundation raises funds for operations in the the most endangered areas (Mariupol). It help civilians by providing medical assistance, organizing transportation to hospitals and helping with evacuation to Poland. It also provides refugees in Poland with housing, food and psychological support.
PCPM – Polish Center for International Aid
PCPM specialises in humanitarian aid (during natural disasters, humanitarian crises or conflicts), development aid (support for social and economic development) as well as emergency aid (medical aid and rescue operations in face of natural and anthropogenic disasters)
Currently PCPM brings humanitarian aid to Ukraine, assists with civilian evacuation and also plans to helps in securing the living needs of war refugees in Poland. Moreover, it has rolled out an unconditional cash assistance program directed at refugee families in Poland.
We think that correctly implemented programs for targeted direct cash transfers may actually be one of the most effective forms of help. This is supported by numerous evidence and backed by some rigorously conducted studies. We encourage you to read this article by GiveDirectly, which discusses advantages of such help for refugees.
The Polish Medical Mission
https://pmm.org.pl/ukraina-pilna-pomoc-medyczna
Since 1999 the Polish Medical Mission Association has been helping victims of wars, disasters and cataclysms. PMM’s activities are run by volunteers: doctors, paramedics, nurses, rehabilitation specialists, as well as psychologists and medical analysts.
The funds raised will be donated to provide rapid medical support and purchase necessary medical supplies.
Vostok SOS
Vostok SOS collects funds to support people living in cities (providing food, medicine, hygiene products, gasoline etc.) and for humanitarian aid to the army, as well as transport. They also fund evacuations paying for and organizing transportation.
Data for a direct money transfer (in Ukrainian or Russian): https://vostok-sos.org/en/i-wanna-help/rekvizyty-dlia-hroshovoho-perekazu
Fundraiser through a Polish proxy – the Avalon foundation (funds will be transferred with no provision costs): https://helpuj.pl/zbiorki/pomoc-ofiarom-wojny-w-ukrainie-wsparcie-organizacji-vostok-sos
UNICEF Poland
https://unicef.pl/chce-pomoc/nasze-akcje/pomoc-dla-ukrainy
UNICEF was founded in 1946 to help children affected by World War II and is committed to following the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF staff work in 190 countries and territories, often in some of the most remote locations on earth, trying to reach and help the most vulnerable children: from life-saving vaccinations, to building schools, to immediate relief in humanitarian disaster situations
UNICEF Poland will donate the funds raised to provide children with safe shelters and psychological support, medical care, clean water and hygiene supplies. They work with local partners which means that they can accurately assess the most urgent needs and deliver effective aid to the children.
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
https://www.unfpa.org/ukraine-conflict
UNFPA is a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly. It deals with sexual and reproductive health. It has been active in Ukraine for decades, expanding access to reproductive health and protective measures.
It currently remains in Ukraine to ensure women and girls’ right to safe childbirth and a life free from violence. It aims to provide access to life-saving sexual and reproductive health services and medical products. They also work with neighbouring countries to respond to the ongoing health needs of refugees, including vulnerable people such as the elderly.
Polish Humanitarian Action
https://www.siepomaga.pl/pah-ukraina
This Polish NGO has been operating since 1992 and provides humanitarian aid all over the world. They react in places where humanitarian crises (natural disasters and armed conflicts) occur. Their main priority is immediate humanitarian response, but they think it’s equally important to seek long-term solutions and prevent further catastrophes.
This fundraiser will help provide food and hygiene products to the people most threatened by war in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Other forms of aid – official sources of information
Helping Ukraine (Pomagam Ukrainie) – https://pomagamukrainie.gov.pl/
The official platform of the Polish government made both for refugees (including those planning to come to Poland) and the people willing to help them.
It is also a database of information about available humanitarian, financial, psychological and legal aid for those in need.
Local government initiatives
If you are looking for help or want to get involved at the local level, we encourage you to visit the official websites of local governments. We are not able to list and screen every official initiative, but they do tend to guarantee the safety of any donated funds.
Grupa Granica (The Border Group) – https://ukraina.grupagranica.pl/
Important information helpful for Ukrainians in Poland or intending to come to Poland.
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EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM (EA) is a growing social movement founded on the desire to make the world as good a place as it can be, the use of evidence and reason to find out how to do so, and the audacity to actually try (Giving What We Can, 2021). The idea of effective altruism explores effective giving, global priorities, and reflects on long term risks. Steven Pinker has called effective altruism “one of the great new ideas of the 21st century.” If you want to learn more about EA, check out the resources below:
- The Effective Altruism Handbook https://forum.effectivealtruism.org
- A list of 80 most pressing global problems by 80,000 Hours, the organisation offering career advice to those interested in making a positive impact through their career path https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/
On the homepage of the Handbook, you will also find an option to order two free books on effective altruism – William MacAskill’s Doing Good Better and Toby Ord’s The Precipice.
