The Head of the Austrian Development Agency and the Austrian Red Cross representatives visited the Kyiv region

As a part of the working visit, the President of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, Mykola Polishchuk, together with the mayor of Vasylkiv, Natalya Balasynovych, presented the results of the activities of the Ukrainian Red Cross and the local authorities in the Vasylkiv community to the Head of the Austrian Development Agency, Friedrich Stift, and the Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross, Michael Opriesnig.

“The Ukrainian Red Cross Society has partnered with the Austrian Red Cross for many years. We have focused our cooperation on the following areas: housing restoration, humanitarian aid (food and hygiene kits), vouchers and monetary aid, implementation of Mobile Health Units and Home Based Care,” said Mykola Polishchuk.

The Head of the Austrian Development Agency visited the humanitarian aid center in Vasylkiv, got acquainted with the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross Mobile Health Units, and visited the city’s apartment buildings damaged and destroyed at the beginning of the war.

“It is now an overwhelming burden for the city budget to implement numerous projects for the organization of temporary housing for the population, to cover the costs of utility bills for IDPs, to restore damaged windows and houses of citizens, etc. A lot of work has been done, and it would not have been possible without your support. We thank you for your help. And I have only one request for you: talk about Ukraine, don’t forget it — it’s extremely important to us!” emphasized Nataliya Balasynovych.

There is a modular town in Vasylkiv created for internally displaced people and persons who lost their homes in the first days of the full-scale invasion. All utility expenses of the town are covered by the Ukrainian Red Cross, with the support of the Austrian Red Cross.

“We understand what a difficult situation the Ukrainian people are in. We know what you had to go through, and we are glad we have the opportunity to provide support,” said Friedrich Stift, the Head of the Austrian Development Agency.

“Every time I come to Ukraine, I see how selflessly the Ukrainian Red Cross Society volunteers, and the Ukrainian people in general, work. I am impressed at the results achieved during the last extremely challenging year,” emphasized Michael Opriesnig, Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross.