The war made it extremely difficult to acquire qualified advice on evacuation, legal, economic, and humanitarian issues. Because of the overburdening of official resources, the destruction of communication systems, and the volume of unverified content, people cannot receive critical information promptly. That is why initiatives like Visit Ukraine are so important.
Millions of Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in other cities or abroad. Fearful, with no guarantees about tomorrow or even today, people were left wondering what to do next. What documents are needed to cross the border? Where to go to get assistance in a new country? How can a foreigner leave Ukraine safely? How to get help in the occupied territories? How to return to Ukraine at no cost? Every day, a team of 25 competent specialists answers these and many other equally important questions. The Visit Ukraine hotline is open 24/7 to help refugees, displaced people, and foreign citizens affected by the war on Ukrainian territory.
Between February 24 and the end of May, more than 70,000 people received personal consultations via phone and other communication channels (website chat, Telegram, WhatsApp). The number of website users in May exceeded 137,000. Moreover, Visit Ukraine creates and distributes proven informational content translated into four languages for users’ convenience. Many disoriented people now have answers to questions that quite literally determine their fate, all thanks to the efforts of Visit Ukraine.
Razom for Ukraine provided the Visit Ukraine team with a $4,800 grant. These funds covered the purchase of technical equipment for 20 call-center operators, software, costs associated with distributing information about the website, and content support in Ukrainian and English. The grant also allowed for the addition of 5 call-center operators supplied with all necessary equipment, and currently, Visit Ukraine operators handle approximately 800 requests per day.
by Yelena Ivlieva
Additional donation options available at www.razomforukraine.org/donate