The challenge we saw
Kharkiv region from the first days of the full-scale invasion was in the zone of active hostilities. Some communities survived the occupation, others still live under shelling. People lost housing and documents, thousands of families became displaced, the number of families of soldiers, dead and missing increased.
Almost every such situation has a legal side, and almost every one is a difficult psychological state. Meanwhile, it is almost impossible to find a lawyer or psychologist in the villages of the district. AMI has been working with local governments of Kharkiv region for many years, and it was from communities that we received requests for help to residents. We have seen that legal advice alone does not solve the human problem completely, and communities lack the knowledge to attract resources for recovery.
Therefore, we have conceived a project that combines free legal and psychological assistance to those affected, training for community representatives and the development of the Agency itself. This approach made it possible to reach very different groups of people and lay the foundation for work after the financing was completed. The project was supported by the Partnership for a Strong Ukraine Foundation through Chemonics International.
How we answered him
The project lasted from November 17, 2023 to July 17, 2024 and covered all 15 communities of Kharkiv district. At the start, we rented and equipped premises in Kharkiv, equipped a separate room for psychological support for children and families, launched a call center and compiled a calendar of visits to the community.
Residents learned about the services through startups, NGOs, spaces for IDPs, printed materials and Facebook. AMI lawyers and lawyers provided 2,156 individual consultations in the office, telephone and on trips. Most often, people applied for compensation for damaged housing, restoration of documents, IDP payments, social guarantees for the military and their families, land issues. Another 158 people took part in 10 legal education seminars.
Two psychologists, among them a pediatrician, conducted 630 individual and group consultations and 15 visits to the community. For parents and children, we organized workshops on pottery, which were attended by 100 participants. In total, 730 people received psychological support, including 160 children.For 47 representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, communal institutions and the public sector, we conducted trainings on resource mobilization, restoration of communities taking into account European integration and cooperation between authorities and residents. All participants confirmed that the training had achieved its goal. In parallel, the AMI team underwent 18 hours of training and mentoring on fundraising.
We introduced a CRM system for accounting of appeals, connected “Liga.Zakon”, replenished the professional library and updated the equipment. We worked in the conditions of constant shelling and long light outages. We moved part of the events online, quickly changed the schedule, attracted new specialists instead of those who had to leave. Thanks to the EcoFlow station from Chemonics, the office received people even during blackouts, so the assistance never stopped.
Changes that continue
More than three thousand people received help that was not available near home before. Among the 2,314 recipients of legal aid, 894 are migrants and 500 older people. Information about free services was seen by 61 981 people.
Communities have received trained people who are able to attract resources and plan recovery together with residents. For AMI, the project became a point of institutional growth.
We have a fundraising strategy for 2024-2026, work with a single customer base in CRM, develop accounting policies and information security policies.
Based on the results of the work, we have prepared an analytical study with recommendations on legal and psychological support for vulnerable groups. AMI continues to provide free legal assistance to war victims, gradually expanding the geography of work.
