Within SOCODEVI and its cooperative and mutualist network, the conflict in Ukraine leaves no one indifferent. Since 2008, we have been carrying out cooperative development projects in this country in partnership with Ukrainian organizations supporting the agricultural sector (Lviv Agricultural Extension Service, in the west, and Dnipro Agriculture Extension Service, in the center-east near the eastern region of Donbass). These people are now in an extremely difficult situation.
SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF SOCODEVI AND ITS PARTNERS TO ASSIST COOPERATIVE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to our friends in Canada for your support to Ukraine. As a team, we will do everything possible to continue to support the communities. Thank you for your cooperative experience, we stay here to continue this 15 year work, to cooperate in resistance!”
SOFIA, Gender equality specialist for SOCODEVI in Ukraine
In action for our partners
Since the beginning of the conflict, our actions have been humanitarian.
SOCODEVI was proactive as soon as tensions rose at the Russian border: we drew up an emergency evacuation plan for our partners and their families and this plan was put into effect as soon as the first bombings began.
Colleagues from Dnipro (who were also working in Donbass for the We Prosper project) were first gathered in Lviv, but are now scattered all over the Ukrainian territory for different reasons. Some people have even returned to Dnipro, a city in the center-east that has been the target of bombing, to support humanitarian efforts and/or continue their work.
The SOCODEVI team in Canada is making daily efforts to maintain contact with our partner colleagues and to mitigate the impact of this crisis on these people, their families and the cooperating families supported. Here are some of the actions we have taken:
- An emergency and evacuation plan for our partners was put in place as soon as the first bombings occurred;
- Authorization obtained from the Canadian government to reallocate a portion of project budgets to help co-op families;
- Establishment of mechanisms for the delivery of aid via Poland and ongoing discussions to optimize the coordination of this aid;
- Establishment of processes for the distribution of aid to the communities
by our teams in the field.
Our organization is in solidarity with the families who participated in our activities ; Farmers who are members of cooperatives supported by SOCODEVI and who have had to either stay and look after their farms or leave everything behind to try to find safety.
Adapting our projects
The good news is that the Government of Canada, our main financial partner in Ukraine, is supporting and encouraging our actions to make changes to our current projects, which could include :
- Specific support to cooperative families most affected by the events
- Supporting local authorities in the logistics of distributing aid to communities
- Procurement and distribution of essential food and household items
“With the support of the Government of Canada, we are keeping in touch with our partners and our organization will be ready to resume activities in support of cooperative enterprises as soon as the situation allows.”
FRANÇOIS DIONNE, International Program Director, SOCODEVI
Once again, we would like to offer them all our solidarity and our wishes for peace, security, health, and courage.
To you, thank you for following our activities and continuing to show your solidarity with our sisters and brothers in the Ukrainian cooperative movement. Please know that your donations will be used to enhance the scope of our actions in Ukraine.
For media inquiries, please contact: communications@socodevi.org