Tanks rolling over cars, clouds of smoke rising over destroyed houses, fleeing people wrapped in thick winter coats, hats and scarves carrying their children towards the EU border. The images from Ukraine are shocking and leave people feeling helpless. Many want to help, especially those who are fleeing – according to the United Nations, there are already more than 500,000 people.
Despite the difficult situation on the ground, several aid organizations are providing humanitarian aid. Field kitchens are in operation, emergency shelters are set up, people are supplied with medication and warm clothing, and there is also psychological support. Large aid organizations have set up donation accounts, and many local offers are also shared on social media. The German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI), a foundation that checks calls for donations and advises donors, helps you to identify which calls for donations are serious and trustworthy.
Accordingly, monetary donations are often more efficient than donations in kind. Many aid organizations have been active in Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict eight years ago and have coordinated with partners there. They can use donations more flexibly. The DZI only recommends donations in kind, such as food or clothing, if “those affected and reputable organizations specifically ask for them”. Incidentally, monetary donations can also be used more flexibly if they are made without earmarking – i.e. without a keyword in the transfer.
Again and again there are calls for donations from organizations that lack the necessary competence to be able to help effectively, or where a large part of the donations trickles away in the administration or is misused for private enrichment. That is why the DZI advises to check donation organizations that you do not know: Is it a non-profit organization? Does she provide information about her work, is there a contact person who can answer questions? When addressing pity or pressure with provocative, cruel images, one should be careful, as serious organizations do not work that way. Here is a selection of organizations that the DZI classifies as reputable. the complete list can be found on the website of the DZI:
Doctors Without Borders – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), German section, www.aerzte-without-borders.deBank for Social Economy, IBAN DE72 3702 0500 0009 7097 00
Action Deutschland Hilft eV, www.aktion-deutschland-hilft.deBank for Social Economy, IBAN DE62 3702 0500 0000 1020 30, keyword: emergency aid Ukraine
German Red Cross eV, www.drk.de, Bank for Social Economy IBAN DE63 3702 0500 0005 0233 07, keyword: emergency aid Ukraine
UN Refugee Aid eV, www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.deSparkasse KölnBonn, IBAN DE78 3705 0198 0020 0088 50 Keyword: Ukraine emergency aid