Ukraine crisis: Singapore Red Cross sends $2.4m more in aid

People from Ukraine arrive at Berlin's central station, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
People from Ukraine arrive at Berlin's central station, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Berlin, Germany, March 9, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

SINGAPORE — The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is sending a second tranche of aid to help Ukrainians in their war-torn country and across six neighbouring countries.

The latest aid by the SRC in response to the fast-growing refugee crisis sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February is valued at $2.4 million. The tranche will go to the SRC's partners spearheading relief efforts to the affected communities in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, Moldova and Romania.

The SRC's focus will be on providing aid to vulnerable people, including unaccompanied minors, single women with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Besides providing immediate relief aid, it will also address basic needs, emergency shelter, protection, health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and counselling support.

The aid will be deployed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Red Cross National Societies receiving refugees from Ukraine, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

About 2 million refugees have crossed the borders into countries neighbouring Ukraine, while another estimated 6 to 8 million people have been internally displaced.

This disbursement follows SRC’s first tranche of aid worth US$100,000, which arrived in Ukraine last Friday.

"From pre-schoolers to tertiary students; from well-meaning individuals to businesses; the people of Singapore have responded generously...In Singapore, donations to the SRC fundraising appeal have reached close to $3 million," said SRC in a statement.

SRC has also activated its “Restoring Family Links” (RFL) service to assist Singapore residents to locate their immediate family members who may have been affected by the ongoing crisis.

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