In March 2022, the MSC Foundation launched an urgent humanitarian response to Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century, as millions of forcibly displaced people from Ukraine fled across the border with only what they could carry.
The initiative was supported by a powerful fundraising campaign, with the MSC Foundation matching all donations received to reach its ambitious humanitarian goals as quickly as possible.
The MSC Foundation was also taking care of all the logistics and transport free of charge using MSC Group's resources. So every donation went entirely and directly to purchase emergency relief items for the forcibly displaced people seeking protection and safety.
The Foundation partnered on the ground with the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) to ensure these relief items were swiftly provided in the agency’s transit centres, immediately reaching those in greatest need.
The Foundation delivered 100,000 high thermal blankets, 100,000 sleeping bags and 50,000 folding camp beds for these traumatised refugees and internally displaced persons, mostly women and children.
For more information about the campaign, you can download the fact sheet here.
Challenges
1 in 4 homeless
1 in 4 people in Ukraine forced from their homes by the end of March 2022
4m+ refugees
Over 4m people had fled Ukraine with next to nothing by the end of March
200 centres to greet and shelter
UNHCR plan: equip 200 reception & temporary accommodation centres
550,000 emergency items
UNCHR goal: provide 550,000 emergency items like sleeping bags and blankets