DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal update: £120 million raised in five days

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has seen an incredibly generous response to its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal to help people affected by the conflict. The appeal has now raised over £120 million in five days, including £25 million matched by the UK Government.

Although this conflict is less than two weeks old and there are urgent needs to deal with right now, it’s clear that it will have a profound effect on people fleeing over the longer term as well. According to the UN, 2 million people have now fled Ukraine. 

This outpouring of public support for people fleeing the conflict means that DEC member charities working inside Ukraine and on its borders can scale up their response now to meet people’s urgent needs, but can also continue to support them in rebuilding their lives over the months and years to come.  

Madara Hettiarachchi, DEC Director of Programmes and Accountability, said: “This incredible support will help meet people’s urgent needs today and help them rebuild their lives into tomorrow. 

“Every person who has donated, fundraised and helped to spread the word can be proud to be supporting people who have had their lives torn apart by this devastating conflict.” 

ENDS 

This is an update to the press release dated 7 March which is available here and has more details on the work DEC charities are already doing.  

We have a number of female spokespeople available today (International Womens Day) who can speak about the issues affecting women caught up in the conflict. 

Notes to editors: 

Media enquiries please call 020 7387 0200 or 07734 653616 (out of hours). 

DEC charities are working in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries, ramping up efforts to meet the growing humanitarian need. We have spokespeople available in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and the UK.  

For more information or to request interviews in advance please contact: pressofficemanager@dec.org.uk 

A collection of images and video footage of DEC member charities responding as refugees arrive into neighbouring countries is available here. 

About the DEC: The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response. The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK. 

Thirteen of the DEC’s 15 members are either responding or planning to respond in Ukraine or in neighbouring countries and will receive funds from this appeal. Some may work through trusted local partners. They are Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK and World Vision UK. 

Through UK Aid Match the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) gives the British public the opportunity to have a say in how the UK aid budget is spent whilst boosting the impact of the very best British charities to change and save the lives of some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. The UK Government match funded up to £25 million of public donations to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. This is the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through UK Aid Match and will double the impact of public donations, ensuring that charities working on the ground can reach those in urgent need. 

UK Aid Match has increased the impact of a number of DEC appeals to help those in need around the world, including most recently to support people in Afghanistan through DEC’s Afghanistan Appeal in 2021. 

Enquiries about UK Aid Match and UK Government support for Ukraine should be directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Newsdesk. Please email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk. 

24/02/23 Update: Find out how donations are helping one year on from the start of the conflict here.

How to donate:  

• Online: dec.org.uk 
• Phone: 0370 60 60 900 
• SMS: To donate £10 text SUPPORT to 70150. Texts cost £10 plus the standard network charge and the whole £10 goes to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. You must be 16 or over and please ask the bill payer's permission. For full terms and conditions and more information go to www.dec.org.uk 
• Or donate over the counter at any high street bank or post office or send a cheque by post to Post: DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA.