On Friday, 20 September, Ihor Vuytsyk, Head of the Lviv Chamber of Agriculture, together with Hélène Kramer, Director of the Lviv Regional Office of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Ukraine, Natalia Kolomiets, Head of the WFP Institutional Feeding Programme’s regional office in Ukraine, and Olena Trush, WFP Programme Associate Monitoring Specialist in Ukraine, visited two wonderful institutions in the picturesque town of Bryukhovychi. The aim of the visit was to familiarise themselves with the institutions participating in the Institutional Food Programme and to speak directly with the people receiving assistance.
The head of the charitable organisation “Charitable Foundation ‘SVITLOI MRII’”, Iryna Zorina, showed the shelter where, for the past two and a half years, at least 75 Ukrainian refugees who moved to the Lviv region and found social shelter from the very first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine have been living and receiving regular meals.
Representatives of the mission toured the modular settlement for displaced persons, spoke with its residents, and witnessed the comprehensive care and constant support provided for various needs, for which the settlement’s residents expressed their sincere gratitude.
The “St Nicholas Multidisciplinary Educational and Rehabilitation Centre” currently accommodates 230 children with disabilities, including IDPs. This facility provides accommodation, meals and support to children who find themselves in difficult life circumstances. The centre’s management briefed the guests on the facility’s activities, the process of education, rehabilitation and catering for socially vulnerable children. Mission representatives toured the premises where the children live and study, and discussed the difficulties and challenges faced by the centre, given the significant increase in the number of children requiring assistance.
During the visit, the mission representatives also had the opportunity to speak with carers and children at the centre. They learned about their experiences of receiving assistance and their living conditions. Nataliia Kolomiiets noted that the support provided by the UN WFP not only helps to provide people with essential food, but also enables their psychological and emotional development in a safe environment.
Ihor Vuytsyk emphasised the importance of such facilities, which play a key role in supporting vulnerable groups. He also noted that the Lviv Agrarian Chamber and its partners would continue to cooperate with international organisations, such as the UN WFP, to ensure a sustainable supply of food and resources to these facilities.
The visit concluded with a discussion of further steps to improve living conditions for beneficiaries and optimise food aid programmes. Ellen Kramer expressed her satisfaction with the results of the cooperation and emphasised the importance of continuing such visits to improve programmes aimed at assisting the most vulnerable groups.
Source: Lviv Agrarian Chamber