August 10
Ukraine, the Acqua Viva project reaches the communities of Kharkiv: 1,089 personal hygiene kits distributed
Ukraine: The Acqua Viva Project Reaches Communities in Kharkiv. As of June 30, four out of ten kits had been prioritized for people in particularly vulnerable situations and in need, including people with disabilities and the elderly. When a war drags on, international attention risks waning before the needs of the population are met. For those living in the Kharkiv region, however, the emergency is not just a distant news story. It continues to affect daily life, access to essential goods, and the ability to care for oneself with dignity. It is in this context that the Acqua Viva 04/UCr/13157/2026 project continues, funded by AICS Kiev and implemented with the direct participation of the NGO POBIC. As of June 30, 1,089 personal hygiene kits had been distributed to communities in the Kharkiv region. This tangible result marks the transition from the availability of aid to its actual distribution throughout the region. From 15 metric tons of supplies to distribution in communities In the previous update on the Acqua Viva project, POBIC reported the arrival in Kharkiv of approximately 15 metric tons of personal hygiene products.  The latest data documents the next phase of the intervention: the received supplies were organized into kits and progressively distributed to the target communities. This is not merely a matter of quantifying the aid delivered. Each distribution represents a response to a daily need that, in a situation of war and displacement, can become difficult to meet. Four out of ten kits went to the most vulnerable people. 40% of the distributed kits were prioritized for people in particularly vulnerable situations and in need, including people with disabilities and the elderly. Allocation was based on an assessment of specific needs, so as to direct support toward those who may face greater difficulties in independently accessing essential goods. This is a key element of the project: not an indiscriminate distribution, but an intervention that takes into account the circumstances of individual people and the inequalities that war tends to exacerbate. For an older adult or a person with a disability, in fact, the disruption of services, the loss of support networks, and difficulties with mobility can make it even more challenging to obtain even the items needed for daily care. Behind every number is a person. Help POBIC continue to stand by the Ukrainian people. PEOPLE REACHED 0 M PERSONAL HYGIENE KITS 0 KITS DISTRIBUTED 0 % Personal hygiene is a matter of health and dignity. In a humanitarian emergency, personal hygiene products may seem less urgent than other forms of aid. In reality, they help protect health, prevent health problems, and preserve people’s dignity. Being able to wash and care for one’s body means maintaining an essential part of one’s daily life, even when war has disrupted routines, relationships, and certainties.  The value of the Acqua Viva project also lies in this: recognizing that humanitarian assistance is not just about survival, but also about the right to live in conditions that are as safe and dignified as possible. Essential Aid in an Ongoing Crisis More than four years after the start of the large-scale invasion, the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine remains extremely severe. According to the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan for 2026, approximately 10.8 million people in the country still need humanitarian assistance. In this context, the distribution of 1,089 kits represents a limited but necessary intervention. It demonstrates how collaboration between humanitarian organizations, on-the-ground workers, and institutions can transform resources and materials into effective support for communities. A kit cannot restore what the war has taken away. However, it can help protect a part of a person’s daily life, health, and dignity. And it is also through concrete actions like this that POBIC continues to stand by the Ukrainian people. The photographs accompanying this update are simple, unstaged, and far removed from the aesthetics typically associated with fundraising campaigns. Their value, however, lies precisely in their authenticity. Security conditions did not allow POBIC staff to travel to the areas affected by the distribution.  Access was not authorized because it would have required extraordinary protective measures and procedures in a part of the Kharkiv region that has been subjected to systematic bombardment since April.
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