We have mentioned the power of the Internet when it comes to helping refugees from Ukraine many times. Facebook or Instagram groups, Telegram feeds, online services or, finally, our map – all effective tools in the process of spreading information. There are more and more sources and it is difficult to select them, so we have gathered for you the most important ones, this time – online platforms.
Connectivity is key in containing humanitarian crises
On May 16, 2022, the Orange Foundation’s “City of Thought: Human Footprints” conference was held. It was dedicated to humanitarian crises. Experts addressed, among other things, issues related to communications and telecommunications in a crisis.
In times of war and humanitarian crises, information is very important, even determining life and death. Efficient communication is a prerequisite so that other needs of refugees can be met, and SIM cards and a network of WiFi hotspots installed at the border become humanitarian aid.
Orange: łączność ma kluczowe znaczenie w opanowaniu kryzysów humanitarnych
At the Polish-Ukrainian border, SIM card stations stood next to food stalls
Przemyśl’s “Tesco” became one of the main relocation sites for refugees from Ukraine. This is where the attention of the media, NGOs and volunteers was drawn in the first days of the war. This was also the place where Julia, an employee of the Mapuj Pomoc team, stayed, she recalls:
Refugees would come out of the buses and the first thing that would show up on their phone screens was the operator’s message about changing their country of residence. The increased fees would leave most of those fleeing disconnected from the outside world – family, friends, news. One of the first places we directed them to were stations with SIM card redemption options. The special packages were a great bargain – free tens of gigabytes of Internet and minutes to Ukraine. Issued right away, they only had to be inserted into the phone. Then came the time to organize the rest of the trip, then definitely made easier.
List of online portals with information for refugees from Ukraine
Internet connectivity is key, but it is equally important to find valuable and up-to-date information in the online space. Access to these is offered by our MAPA. To view verified services, simply select the “Internet portal” option under the “Method of Operation” tab.
We currently have more than 50 vetted online sources that may be helpful to Ukrainian refugees. Below is a pledge of some of the most interesting:
- Spilnoteka / Common Library – UNICEF Ukraina – UNICEF Ukraine – a catalog of digital and printed materials on safety, nutrition, health and hygiene, psychological and social support, etc. All materials have been developed by consultants of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine and experts in various fields and are aimed at helping war-affected families, internally displaced persons, youth, children, educators, doctors, social workers and others.
- UkraineTakeShelter – a platform for finding temporary shelter – an independent platform to help connect Ukrainian refugees with potential hosts and housing.
- LikarPL – an app will help a doctor quickly diagnose a patient’s condition and enable communication between a patient and doctor who do not speak the same language.
- Helping Hand – a platform that gives comprehensive and personalized psychological support. We support, among others, when feeling worse, at work or in relationships. Anonymous, safe, 24/7.
- HeroToHero UA – an initiative created in March 2022 by environmental crowd-funding service Planet Heroes. It is the first pan-European, UN-backed platform to enable financial support for refugees.
- Information base for the elderly and people with disabilities – We have collected information about the war in Ukraine, tailored for people with disabilities and the elderly. Here you will find useful information for both those in Ukraine and those who have traveled abroad because of the war.
- Together – platform for Ukrainian refugee women in Poland – platform to support Ukrainian women in Poland, providing them with resources to help them rebuild their lives, find a support network and integrate economically into the life of their host countries.
- Ivy Ukraine – a platform that brings together educational mentors and tutors from around the world, willing to share their knowledge, advice and interests, with Ukrainian mentees seeking support as they embark on new paths of development.