Defense and Intelligence Council

Supporting Ukraine
A Compendium of U.S. Assistance Initiatives

February 24 marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This compendium highlights how PSC member companies are involved in supporting the Ukrainian government, civil society, agriculture and the economy.

Click here to download a pdf of this compendium.


Table of Contents

• PSC Members Support a Nation in Need | David Berteau, PSC
• Special Thanks to PSC Member Companies
• U.S. Aid to Ukraine in Numbers
• “AWS Literally Saved Our Digital Infrastructure” | Amazon Web Services
• International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program | Amentum
• Enabling Vital Food Security Efforts in Ukraine | Chemonics International, Inc.
• Ukraine MoH’s Trusted Partner Delivers Over 750,000 Lifesaving Items | Crown Agents
• USAID Pivots to Provide Critical Support | DAI Global
• Deloitte and USAID are Working Together to Help Restore Essential Services to the Ukrainian People | Deloitte
• DT Global’s Multi-Decade Commitment to Ukraine | DT Global
• Ukrainian GEOINT, Donor Coordination, and Refugee Tracking Solutions | ECS
• EnCompass Adapts to Support USAID/Ukraine Mission During Wartime | EnCompass LLC
• Providing Economic Resilience Through Trade and Tourism | International Development Group LLC
• Supporting Youth Participation in the Economy in War-Time Ukraine | Making Cents International
• The Kharkiv Partnership (Kharkiv Initiative) Project | ME&A
• Harnessing the Power of Data for Ukrainian Refugees in Moldova | Palladium
• RTI Study Identifies Civic Shifts in Ukrainian Response to Russian Aggression | RTI International
• Recovery, Reconstruction, Resilience: Tetra Tech’s Mission to Support Ukraine | Tetra Tech

For over 50 years, the Professional Service Council (PSC) has served to advocate, educate, and create public-private dialogues on behalf of American contractors and their U.S. government customers. In the last five decades, PSC’s membership has grown from 35 to more than 400 U.S. companies, which provide critical support to every federal agency and department in the United States and around the globe. 

Special Thanks to the Following PSC Member Companies

           
                        
      
             


U.S. Aid to Ukraine in Numbers

Ukraine has received more humanitarian aid from the United States than any other source since the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and Russian’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Additionally, this aid is diverse both in the type, such as health, education, food, and logistics, but also in its distribution methods, e.g., using government contractors, NGOs, and USAID.



Source: www.unocha.org: Ukraine Aid Country Summaries 2022

The U.S. Congress enacted nearly $113 Billion dollars in additional aid to Ukraine in 2022. This includes sizable commitments in defense spending categories including weaponry, equipment, training, logistics, and grants for Ukrainian procurement. However, the U.S. also has contributed significant humanitarian and financial aid since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.


Source: www.crfb.org: Congress Approved 113 Billion in Aid for Ukraine in 2022







“AWS Literally Saved Our Digital Infrastructure”
Liam Maxwell, Director of Digital Government Transformation, Amazon Web Services


In July 2022, the Ukrainian government awarded Amazon Web Services (AWS) the Ukraine Peace Prize for helping the country move its critical data to the cloud, keeping vital government services operating, supporting Ukrainian customers and partners to secure their applications, and preserving the country’s digital history. As Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said, “AWS literally saved our digital infrastructure.”

On the day of the invasion, AWS met with members of the Ukrainian government and formulated a plan to transport AWS Snowball devices into Ukraine to help secure, store, and transfer data to the cloud. Two days later, the Snowballs arrived in Kraków, Poland, and quickly became the foundation for the effort to preserve Ukraine’s data. AWS has helped the Ukraine government migrate more than 10 petabytes of essential data from 27 Ukrainian ministries, 18 Ukrainian universities, and dozens of private sector companies to the cloud. This cloud migration has enabled the Ukrainian government to continue providing core civilian services during the war and will help the country rebuild when the war is over.

In February 2022, AWS has helped the Ukraine government migrate more than 10 petabytes of essential data from 27 Ukrainian ministries, 18 Ukrainian universities, the largest remote learning K-12 school, and dozens of private sector companies to the cloud.

AWS has also supported in other ways, including working with Optima School, the country’s largest distance learning school, to support the thousands of displaced students who now need access to online education. This work is part of Amazon’s wider efforts to support Ukraine. To date, Amazon has committed more than $75 million to help the people of Ukraine address immediate and long-term needs.

Media Inquiries: aws-pr@amazon.com / Twitter: @AWSCloud / Instagram: @Amazonwebservices





International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program
Amentum

The International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program’s (ICITAP) mission is to work with foreign governments to develop professional and transparent law enforcement institutions that protect human rights, combat corruption, and reduce the threat of transnational crime and terrorism. ICITAP provides international development assistance that supports both national security and foreign policy objectives.

Upon Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ICITAP leveraged Amentum to deliver a turn-key procurement solution that delivered critical medical supplies, tactical equipment, and personal protection equipment to Ukraine. To maximize support, Amentum created a tiger team to include a dedicated tactical equipment buyer, senior program management office personnel, logistics manager and technical subject matter expert. The team ensured that the effort was handled with the utmost attention and expediency from receipt of task order and funds on March 24 to delivery on April 10. 

The initial procurement process and delivery of the first tranche of equipment took approximately two weeks. The rapid response effort resulted in a highly successful endeavor that included more than 19 Purchase Orders that had an approximate value of $7.5M. This coordination required logistics coordination with funders, Department of Justice, and other contractors to successfully deliver equipment in an expeditious manner meeting all international trade compliance office and other trade compliance requirements.

Media Inquiries: Chanel Mann - chanel.mann@amentum.com / Twitter: @amentum_corp / Facebook: @amentumcorp / LinkedIn: @amentumcorp

 






Photo of wheat being packed in a sleeve at one of the grain storage sites supported by USAID AGRO.

Enabling Vital Food Security Efforts in Ukraine
Tetyana Dudka, Senior Vice President - Europe & Eurasia, Chemonics International, Inc.

Ukraine is one of the world’s leading grain producers and exporters, but Russia’s invasion of the country prompted dire agricultural supply chain issues and more that threatened both local and global food security. This includes the need to preserve millions of tons of grains that have not been exported because of seaports blockaded by Russia and other export constraints, further exacerbating the mounting food security crisis for Ukraine and all the communities that depend on its bountiful harvest. 

The Chemonics-implemented USAID Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) activity currently reaches over 13,000 micro, small, and medium producers in Ukraine, helping them earn much-needed revenue, create jobs, and ease the global food insecurity crisis caused by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

To address the need for immediate grain storage solutions, the Chemonics-implemented Agriculture Growing Rural Opportunities (AGRO) activity, within the USAID Agriculture Resilience Initiative, Ukraine (AGRI-Ukraine), enabled Ukrainian small and medium agricultural producers, which are responsible for half of the grain exports from the country, to store roughly 1.5 million tons of grain from its essential harvests. To achieve this, AGRO purchased and distributed 7,800 storage sleeves and 29 grain loading machines, supported the establishment of 69 modular granaries, and developed elevator capacities.


Map of AGRO-supported grain storage services for farmers: AGRO sub-awardees (orange circles of different sizes depending on storage volume), grain storage sleeves (red dots), and farmer beneficiaries (green dots).

In the coming months, AGRO will also provide 6,800 micro and small agricultural producers with sunflower seeds and fertilizers for grain and oil crops followed by consultations, training, and guidance on growing technologies. Additionally, AGRO supports the delivery and logistics of 14 tons of vegetable seeds from other donors, such as beans, peas, beets, carrots, eggplant, onions, and radishes, including those donated by Bayer, which joined the AGRI-Ukraine initiative, to be distributed to an estimated 25,000 households and family farms.

Media Inquiries: media@chemonics.com / Twitter: @Chemonics / Instagram: @chemonics_intl / LinkedIn: Chemonics International / Facebook: Chemonics International







Ukraine MoH’s Trusted Partner Delivers Over 750,000 Lifesaving Items
Anna Schuesterl, Director - Communications & Media / Tetiana Korotchenko, Managing Director, Crown Agents


Following Russia’s invasion, urgent needs in Ukraine included medical supplies, equipment, drinking water and hygiene products. Crown Agents has delivered more than 93,000 trauma kits, 45,000 food kits, over 800 items of personal protection equipment, 2,000 special needs kits, 400 oxygen concentrators, 91 baby incubators, 30 baby warmers and phototherapy lights, 125 patient monitors and additional specialized equipment for elderly care homes to meet the needs of civilians and health professionals impacted by the war.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) provided daily, real-time updates on the immediate needs and Crown Agents responded. Initially, we supported pharmaceutical and medical supply companies to get donations into Ukraine. But, after a few weeks, we established a funding mechanism to be more agile, fulfilling specific requests from the MoH. 

With 25 years’ presence in Ukraine, seven embedded in the Ministry of Health, Crown Agents brought unparalleled knowledge of the health system. Our supply chain experts overcame the war’s challenges and responded to acute needs, delivering life-saving supplies to Ukraine’s MoH.

As the war disrupted established supply chains, Crown Agents employed new, innovative ways of getting aid to citizens and medical personnel, building new supply chains leveraging our 185 years’ experience and strong local networks. Speed and agility were crucial; we quickly mobilized to respond to the evolving conflict. With staff based in regional hubs and in Ukraine, Crown Agents was at the forefront of support, connecting our global network of suppliers and logistics providers to Ukraine’s MoH. 

A trusted partner of the Ministry of Health for 25 years, we have delivered over 500 million units of medicines and medical devices into Ukraine, and over 700,000 lifesaving items during the war.

Our work procuring, inspecting and delivering medicines and medical equipment for the MoH has enabled hospitals and health workers to maintain patient services and respond to the devastating impacts of the war. We’re proud to have supported the government of Ukraine to keep health and public services operating.

Media Inquiries: Anna Schuesterl, Director - Communications and Media - Anna.Schuesterl@crownagents.co.uk / Twitter: @crownagents / Facebook: @crownagents / LinkedIn: @crown agents






Photo of a strategic planning session in the community of Dobrotvir conducted by USAID HOVERLA. The session was conducted in a shelter during an air alarm.

USAID Pivots to Provide Critical Support
Eastern Europe Portfolio, DAI Global

 

USAID Financial Sector Reform Activity (FSR): Though a relatively new award, USAID Financial Sector Reform Activity (FSR) is achieving recognition as a serious player in Ukraine’s financial sector. FSR’s achievements include signing Memorandums of Understanding with four key Ukrainian and international partners; leading the development of war-related risk insurance; and launching an innovative grants program for small business.

USAID Governance and Local Accountability Activity (HOVERLA): Since February 24th, USAID Governance and Local Accountability Activity (HOVERLA) procured equipment and strengthened local governments’ ability to provide social, administrative, and emergency services. HOVERLA’s legislative reform included over 54 local laws and 28 municipal strategic plans. HOVERLA’s procurement included $4 million in firefighting and $15 million in emergency response equipment.

USAID Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure (CCI) Activity: Leading to and immediately following Russia’s invasion, USAID Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure (CCI) procured communication for government communication with critical infrastructure operators. This included 1,244 satellite phones, 250 broadband global area network terminals, 10 SatCube terminals, and the shipment of 5,175 SpaceX-donated Starlink terminals with approximately $13 million in supportive services.

DAI Global is playing a key role in USAID Ukraine’s response to the Russian invasion by addressing critical developmental goals.

USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA): Prior to the war, USAID ERA (ERA) provided interventions for businesses and communities in the East. During the war, ERA helped these stakeholders relocate and re-start operations. ERA provided over 3,500 individuals and 900 firms technical assistance and co-investment support, helped mitigate the grain export catastrophe through seven concrete rail export solutions, and raised over $1.6 million in small-business financing.

Media Inquiries: Elizabeth Drachman - Principal Manager, Global Communications - Elizabeth_Drachman@dai.com; Steven O’Connor - VP, Global Communications - Steven_OConnor@dai.com / https://www.dai.com/ / Publications / Twitter: @DAIGlobal / Facebook: @DAIGlobal / LinkedIn: @dai / Instagram: @daiglobal





Deloitte and USAID are Working Together to Help Restore Essential Services to the Ukrainian People
Alyona Polomoshnova, International Donor Organizations Marketing Leader, Deloitte

 

Deloitte implements the USAID Health Reform Support (HRS) project which focuses on restoring health care services, including: 1) supporting internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable groups, 2) delivering generators, and 3) combatting mis-, dis-, and mal-information (MDM), among other things. Last year HRS provided grants to six primary health care facilities to host multi-disciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists that provided holistic physiological, mental, and emotional support to over 1,000 IDPs that fled the war.

Deloitte is currently implementing two programs in collaboration with USAID to support Ukraine’s health and economic sectors: The USAID Health Reform Support (HRS) and State-Owned Enterprises Reform Activity (SOERA) projects.

In December 2022, USAID HRS delivered two generators to the National Health Service of Ukraine in Kyiv which provided needed heat to 200+ employees and provided backup power for telecommunications systems and electronic records of 33 million Ukrainians covered by the national health care plan. 

Deloitte also implements the State-Owned Enterprises Reform Activity (SOERA) which works with the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance and other government institutions to advise on the processes in place to oversee and report on the use of Direct Budget Support (DBS) funds provided by the U.S. government. DBS funding has been used for the payment of salaries to government workers, such as first responders, medical personnel, teachers, as well as for payments of 9.8M pensions and assistance to 1.8M IDPs. In the last year, SOERA conducted 11 webinars on transparent privatization and leasing processes for state property, challenges for state-owned enterprises in wartime, and damage assessment. Additionally, SOERA provided 10 backup power units, five laptops, and four generators to support the Ministry of Economy and State Property Fund to maintain their basic functionality in times of power outages and blackout periods caused by the war.

“We are extremely grateful to USAID HRS that through your generous help, the National Health Service of Ukraine entered 2023 with two generators. They will help us keep our server room running smoothly, support the large generator currently being connected, and provide an additional power source for heating the building during emergency power outages.” - Tetiana Boyko, Deputy NHSU Head

Media Inquiries: Alyona Polomoshnova - epolomoshnova@deloitte.com / Deloitte International Development Consulting Services





DT Global’s Multi-Decade Commitment to Ukraine
Torge Gerlach, Chief Executive Officer, DT Global

 

In partnership with the U.S. government and with Europe, DT Global supports recovery, restoration, and anticorruption initiatives while building the capacity of the government of Ukraine as it works towards EU accession in a more stable, globalized future.

Since 1991, DT Global has implemented 20 donor-funded projects in Ukraine within a portfolio of 200+ projects across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Building on strong relationships and multi-sectoral expertise, DT Global’s efforts focus on a brighter future for Ukraine.

DT Global has brought decades of experience in working on issues relating to disinformation and media in support of the government of Ukraine. With OTI, DT Global supported capacity building initiatives for regional media groups, ensuring more accurate Russian language reporting in the face of increased disinformation and propaganda in the Donbas. DT Global’s EU4Independant Media Project provides regional networking and capacity building to independent media outlets to ensure their ability to strengthen democracy through fact-based reporting in the Eastern Neighborhood region. Since May 2022 alone, EU4IM has held 18 trainings for 129 Ukrainian journalists, provided emergency support and housing to 56 journalists, and provided power supply equipment to 32 newsrooms.

DT Global’s 60-year history spans the spectrum of infrastructure and reconstruction activities. We currently implement the European Investment Bank’s flagship road safety project in Ukraine, operating in four major cities, including Kyiv. DT Global applies international best practices to upgrading street infrastructure and accessibility, providing a safe traffic environment, and improving procurement procedures and construction supervision processes. Recently, the project team provided a training to 30+ participants (including various city council members, engineers, and police) on the importance of traffic signal-controlled intersections in the urban environment. We have been successful in maintaining project continuity despite the Russian invasion last year.

Media Inquiries: Alexandra Frank, Director of Global Communications - alexandra.frank@dt-global.com / Twitter: @wearedtglobal / Instagram: @wearedtglobal







Ukrainian GEOINT, Donor Coordination, and Refugee Tracking Solutions
John Heneghan, President, ECS


ECS is supporting the Ukrainian people through a variety of U.S. Intelligence Community and DoD programs, particularly in the areas of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and Mission Partner Collaboration.

In GEOINT, ECS currently supports the NGA 24/7 Global Crisis Support Team in several key areas of the Intelligence Cycle, including collection management, source strategy development, GEOINT analysis, image science, and advanced remote sensing. Our analysts provide around-the-clock monitoring of the conflict and develop detailed daily intelligence reporting of the disposition and status of combatant forces for U.S. and coalition policymakers. ECS image scientists conduct exploitation of advanced imaging sensors, contributing to a wide array of intelligence products.

 

ECS is supporting the Ukrainian people through a variety of U.S. Intelligence Community and DoD programs, particularly in the areas of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and Mission Partner Collaboration.

ECS also provides mission-critical support to EUCOM and the international aid donor community. ECS support includes mission partner collaboration and knowledge management capabilities for partner nations coordinating aid to Ukraine.

ECS has supported the crisis with continuously deployed OCONUS personnel who provide specialty support to our coalition partners.

ECS supported the Uniting for Ukraine initiative by providing data analysis and reporting for DHS to enable tracking of refugee resettlement efforts.

Media Inquiries: Shab Nassirpour - shab.nassirpour@ecstech.com / www.ECStech.com / LinkedIn: @ecstechhq / Twitter: @ecstechhq / Instagram: @ecstechhq






Photo of Bill Dunworth, UMLS COP facilitating recent strategy workshop.

EnCompass Adapts to Support USAID/Ukraine Mission During Wartime
EnCompass LLC

 

EnCompass LLC is the prime contractor for the USAID/Ukraine Monitoring and Learning Support (UMLS) Contract, supported by subcontractor NORC.  UMLS adapts regularly as it supports the Mission in responding to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. 

The initial chaos of the war led to massive population migrations, including USAID and IP staff members.  UMLS exhibited leadership by quickly developing a location tracking and mapping tool for staff from both groups.

Mapping has since expanded to track humanitarian aid, winterization efforts and healthcare activities.  A growing set of UMLS-produced maps and dashboards gives USAID layered visualizations of their efforts throughout Ukraine.

Ensuring accountability and transparency of U.S. assistance to Ukraine during wartime is key. EnCompass helps USAID/Ukraine navigate the highly volatile environment by providing oversight of over 40 activities and their operations.

UMLS continues building Mission capacity to monitor and track USAID funded activities during the crisis. This includes supporting implementing partners in adapting their monitoring approaches.

UMLS helps IPs remain compliant with key rules and regulations by offering support in reporting continuity, data quality assessments, and indicator review.  UMLS is now planning third party monitoring for select activities.

Media Inquiries: Courtney Carr - CCarr@encompassworld.com / LinkedIn: @encompass_world / Twitter: @EnCompass_World / Facebook: @EnCompassLLC







CUIB guesthouse, located in the central region of the Republic of Moldova, is a recipient of the USAID EDGE Buy-In MCTA grant.

Providing Economic Resilience Through Trade and Tourism
International Development Group LLC

 

International Development Group LLC (IDG) is currently implementing the USAID Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise (EDGE) Growth in Europe and Eurasia, covering 12 countries, including Ukraine. IDG's initiative with EDGE focuses on improving the business-enabling environment, reducing trade barriers, improving financial sector stability with increased access to finance, and improving competitiveness through value chains and trade promotion. To analyze Ukraine's susceptibility to trade-related disruptions due to Russia's full-scale invasion, EDGE used standard trade data and trade-in value-added data to identify vulnerable supply chains (input imports), potential loss of export markets, and possible alternative markets for inputs and exports. The findings were presented to USAID Missions in EDGE countries and to USAID Washington to assist in the design of bilateral support activities to the region.

IDG is implementing the USAID Economic Development, Governance, and Enterprise Growth in Europe and Eurasia, covering 12 countries, including Ukraine. Through EDGE, IDG has provided trade-related support for Ukraine and support to Moldova's tourism sector as they receive Ukrainian refugees.

In addition, through the EDGE Buy-In Moldova Competitiveness Transition Activity (MCTA), IDG provided prompt support to Moldova's tourism sector in response to the hundreds of Ukrainian refugees seeking safety. MCTA provided $1.1 million in grant support to the National Inbound and Tourism Association of Moldova and 40 guesthouses throughout the country. The grant helped the recipients expand their tourism offer and capacity, implement energy efficiency, and mitigate impacts caused by the war in Ukraine and the influx of Ukrainian refugees. This was particularly crucial in the second half of 2022 as businesses in Moldova dealt with COVID-19, inflation, and the drastic rise in utility costs.

Media Inquiries: Afua Owusu - aowusu@internationaldevelopmentgroup.com / Twitter: @IntlDevGroup / LinkedIn: @International Development Group LLC







Supporting Youth Participation in the Economy in War-Time Ukraine
Hillary Proctor, Senior Director, Economic Opportunities, Making Cents International 

Making Cents International supports USAID’s UNITY activity, which fosters a sense of ownership among young people in Ukraine’s democratic, European future through expanding economic opportunities; broadened youth engagement in civic and community problem-solving; youth-driven inclusiveness; and research and learning on youth-related data, trends, and approaches. Since the war began, UNITY shifted its focus to addressing the immediate and tangible needs of Ukrainian youth.  

To address the needs of youth-led businesses to pivot to wartime conditions, Making Cents works with unity partner The School of ME (SoME) to provide business consulting, mentorship, and linkages to business-support funding to 20 youth-led enterprises.

Now, UNITY is implementing programming that provides youth and youth-serving organizations with access to information on cross-cutting, trauma-informed care approaches to recognize the signs and symptoms and respond to the needs of youth who have experienced violence. The team is developing a trauma-informed approach training series for youth-serving organizations and a trauma-informed tip list for youth on social media. 

 

In addition, SoME posted business podcasts on international marketing and business trends; creative problem-solving strategies; and strategies for developing creative projects and decision making. 

Making Cents contracted Promprylad, a local business incubator, to support youth engagement in self-employment opportunities via the gig economy and freelance work through podcasts, webinars, and in-person events. Finally, to address the need for financial support, the activity disseminates regular newsletters listing funding opportunities and provides coaching support during the application process. In the coming months, UNITY will create a virtual financial application training program for young entrepreneurs.

Media Inquiries: Eva Cantrell - eva@makingcents.com / Twitter: @MakingCentsIntl Facebook: @MakingCentsIntl / LinkedIn: @Making Cents International







The Kharkiv Partnership (Kharkiv Initiative) Project
Thomas C. England, Chief for Strategy and Innovation, ME&A 

 

The Kharkiv Partnership (Kharkiv Initiative) Project was tasked with assisting the government of Kharkiv Oblast to create an economic development strategic plan and mechanism to jump-start the Oblast’s struggling economy.

Using the services of a talented local consulting firm and the support of the Urban Institute, we embarked on what turned out to be a particularly challenging project, met with gubernatorial resistance. But it ended up as a highly successful one. After a failed attempt to interest the governor in the project, with USAID approval, we quickly pivoted to a program of organizational development of economic development offices and programs in selected rural raions (municipalities) by developing economic development offices and assisting them with the creation of their own local economic development strategic plans, which provided the framework for development and assigned project priorities.  

Further, we provided studies of critical economic sectors of Kharkiv, including information technology, meat processing, and power machinery. The project was considered an immense success, especially our work in nine rural municipalities. A rural community NGO promoting rural development became a model for a nationwide program. A sister region-state relationship between Ohio and Kharkiv was created by the project including the establishment of an Ohio-Kharkiv business NGO. We saw tangible accomplishments initiated and sustained by our local partners.

ME&A, Inc. is a U.S. women-owned small business international development firm providing technical assistance and support services to the federal government. Our primary clients are the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State.

As a result of the recent and current devastation throughout Ukraine due to the Russian invasion, any existing local economic development strategies by localities and their partners must be revised based on these new realities. This process should begin now.

Media Inquiries: Loren Schulze - lschulze@engl.com / @loren_schulze / Twitter: @meandahq / LinkedIn: @ME&A







Harnessing the Power of Data for Ukrainian Refugees in Moldova
Georgie Carter, Senior Associate, Palladium

 

Close to 800,000 Ukrainians have crossed the border into Moldova, seeking safety, protection, and assistance. While the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has established a data collection process to monitor refugee needs, informing actions with these data is complicated by dynamic and chaotic conditions on the ground.

“This project will help us understand where the issues are, where are the latent beneficiaries that the systems don’t yet see and show how we can intervene in a sustainable way to overcome this crisis.” - Alexei Buzu, Minister of Labour and Social Protection

Palladium has worked in Moldova since 2017 through the Data for Impact (D4I) project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to strengthen capacity of the government to use data in response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis.

In January 2023, D4I launched the first data review room to facilitate timely and targeted review of data on Ukrainian refugees transiting or living in Ștefan Vodă, a district harshly hit by the refugee crisis. Decision makers in the region can now access information on refugee demographics, the flow of refugees, and their needs in real time to coordinate support more efficiently for refugees and host families.

At the launch, Scott Hocklander, USAID Mission Director in Moldova, noted “This armed conflict is far from over…the need to prepare is incredibly important.” The data review room is an essential step towards applying information technologies and organizing training courses for specialists in the social, educational and medical fields. The room supports collaborative data review by technical people and decision-makers, including the processes of identifying critical information needs, developing standard visualizations to facilitate problem identification, analyzing root causes of performance issues and strengthening multidirectional feedback mechanisms among various levels of support systems for the benefit of refugee children and families in the region.

 

Media Inquiries: info-US@thepalladiumgroup.com / LinkedIn: @Palladium Positive Impact / Twitter: @PalladiumImpact / YouTube





RTI Study Identifies Civic Shifts in Ukrainian Response to Russian Aggression
Lena Leonchuk, Senior Policy Analyst, RTI International

When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian society fought back. Heroic stories began to emerge of individuals and organizations banding together, but there was no systematic effort to measure this phenomenon. At the same time, the news in the West focused on international support and the Ukrainian military, without much attention on civil society’s role in the war effort. 

RTI undertook a study to better understand what is happening in Ukrainian civil society in response to the Russian invasion. The research found strong levels of trust; speedy, effective mobilization of civil society; and increased levels of civic engagement that point to democratic strengthening in Ukraine that will benefit its reconstruction. More information on RTI's research can be found here.

RTI undertook a study to better understand what was happening in Ukrainian civil society by directly surveying Ukrainian nationals along with Ukrainian diaspora and supporters about their war-time financial contributions and volunteer activities during the first 7 months of conflict.

Conducting research during an active war is difficult, and RTI used Telegram and Facebook to get a representative sample of 1,105 respondents.

The survey uncovered key trends that highlight large-scale mobilization of civil society including:

• Consistent donations by Ukrainian nationals to the war effort and humanitarian relief, with 86% supporting the country financially, and the average giver doing so 9 times in less than 6 months;
• Extensive support for the military, where 79% of Ukrainians supported the country’s Armed Forces or Territorial Defense through fundraising platforms by public figures, NGOs, individual and informal volunteer groups, and the government;
• Increased levels of volunteering among Ukrainians, with 42% donating time or expertise and more than half doing so for the first time ever; and 
• High levels of trust between Ukrainians and civil society organizations, including NGOs and public figures. 

Strong levels of trust; speedy, effective mobilization; and increased levels of civic engagement point to democratic strengthening in Ukraine that will benefit its reconstruction. As the international community determines how best to support Ukraine in the months and years ahead, this study provides key insights into civil society’s critical role in Ukraine.

Media Inquiries: Kerry Brannon - kbrannon@rti.org / Twitter: @RTI_Intl ; @RTI_INTL_DEV






A GE mobile power plant is loaded onto a cargo plane in Arizona bound for Ukraine - Courtesy of Tetra Tech/USAID Energy Security Project

Recovery, Reconstruction, Resilience: Tetra Tech’s Mission to Support Ukraine
Tetra Tech

 

In the face of sub-zero temperatures and Russia’s systematic attacks on the energy grid, Tetra Tech is helping USAID and the Government of Ukraine provide citizens with power, heat, and hot water by supplying generators and other critical equipment to repair damaged infrastructure and strengthen energy security.

Our team serves as the lead procurement agent for the European Union’s Energy Community Secretariat’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund—a transparent and speedy vehicle to mobilize international support to help rebuild critical infrastructure. Tetra Tech is also supporting USAID to perform a rapid assessment of the power needs of water and sanitation service providers in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Lviv.


A Ukrenergo technician at a substation near Kyiv, October 2020 - Courtesy of USAID Ukraine

To enable the safe return to civilian areas, we are supporting the U.S. Department of State to create safe ground across the country by strengthening the Government of Ukraine’s capacity to locate and remove landmines, unexploded and abandoned ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and other explosive hazards.

On behalf of our clients, Tetra Tech is on the frontlines—working amidst Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine to procure and deliver critical services and infrastructure to help Ukrainian families, businesses, and communities continue their fight for democracy.

We are also supporting local capacity building and expansion of the Ukrainian Deminers Association, a non-governmental organization specializing in warning and educating the population about the dangers of explosive hazards, as well as surveying and demining critical infrastructure to enable its repair and reconstruction.

Through our anti-corruption project for USAID, which builds on decades of previous governance work, we are expanding our network of anti-corruption champions across government, working intensively with the RISE Ukraine coalition and identifying best international practices in the fight against corruption. 

With our Ukrainian partners in the lead, Tetra Tech is building on more than thirty years of work in Ukraine supporting USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and many other global donors. We will continue to coordinate our activities with government, civil society, and private sector partners – remaining mission-focused to help Ukraine achieve sustainable sovereignty and build a better, more modern nation.

 

Media Inquiries: Charlie MacPherson, VP, Media and Public Relations - charlie.macpherson@tetratech.com / Twitter: @TetraTechIntDev Facebook: @TetraTechIntDev / Instagram: @TetraTech / LinkedIn: @Tetra Tech