How Ukrainians Live in Temporary Shelters: Needs and Challenges

On February 3, the team of the NGO  ForestCom visited two temporary housing centers for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Lviv region. As we’ve mentioned, what is meant to be temporary often stretches into years. The budgets and living conditions of these shelters are usually not designed for such long-term stays. As a result, ensuring decent living conditions falls entirely on the shoulders of the facility’s management and residents.

Near Brody, there is the “Regional Centre for Social Adaptation.” Originally, it served as a shelter for former prisoners, helping them reintegrate into society, gain professional skills, and receive psychological and legal support. However, after the full-scale invasion, most of the former residents were mobilized, and the centre became a refuge for around 60 IDPs from various regions.

The shelter provides residents with all the essentials, but it receives no government funding. For over 20 years, its founder and director, Mr. Ihor, has been responsible for securing resources to sustain it. Before the war, the centre was largely self-sufficient: residents worked on a farm, in the kitchen, in carpentry, and at a sawmill. Today, however, most of the shelter’s inhabitants are women with children and elderly people who cannot do such demanding physical work. As a result, the shelter needs assistance with household tasks. But the most pressing issue right now is the lack of firewood for heating and hay for the livestock. To buy firewood, Mr. Ihor had to sell some bulls from the farm. Now, the fuel supply is running out again, but he cannot bring himself to sell the cows.

If you can help the shelter with firewood or hay, please contact us via email info@forestcom.org.ua. If you cannot meet these specific needs, there are always other ways to support the centre. It’s best to ask Mr. Ihor directly—contact details are available upon request.

The second shelter is located in the village of Rozvoryany, in an old school building. For over two years, it has been home to eight IDPs. Job opportunities in the village are scarce, so the residents lack necessities such as food and household supplies. If you are in a position to support them, please reach out via email  info@forestcom.org.ua.

Let’s remember that countless Ukrainians have lost their homes and need our support.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the  外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC（Taiwan） for providing humanitarian assistance.

The humanitarian activities of the NGO Forestcom are carried out within the framework of the project "Local Humanitarian Response Initiatives: Taiwan relief supplies to Ukraine_LHRI_Taiwan" with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan)  外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC（Taiwan).