Rinat Akhmetov saved Donbass from a humanitarian catastrophe – data of the nationwide survey

More than 90% of Ukrainians* are aware of Rinat Akhmetov’s charitable activities. This was announced by Volodymyr Paniotto, Director of Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS), during the briefing “Humanitarian Situation in Eastern Ukraine. Needs of Civilians”.

According to him, 56% of Ukrainians called the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation the largest private charitable organization in the country. This point of view is shared by 84.7% of Donbass residents.

Volodymyr Paniotto also stated that a sociological survey showed a decrease in the presence of international and Ukrainian charitable organizations in the east of the country. At the same time, 55% of Ukrainians called the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation the leader among charitable organizations that provide aid in Donbass.

More than half of respondents across the country are confident that Rinat Akhmetov’s charitable activities prevented a humanitarian catastrophe in Donbass.

71.5% of respondents in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts called the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation a leader in helping the local population.

“Sociology showed that the people of the country highly appreciated the work of the Foundation, which was instructed by Rinat Akhmetov to help the neediest. Today, people continue to live on the contact line in very difficult conditions: sometimes without food, without normal communication with the neighbouring settlements, pharmacies and shops. It is for such people that the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation continues to work. They get help with what they need most every day. Thanks to this activity, a million human lives have already been saved,” said Tetiana Kukhotska, Head of Project Development at the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

According to the sociological survey by KIIS, 67% of Ukrainians believe that the residents of Donbass would not have survived without Rinat Akhmetov’s humanitarian aid. Almost 85% of respondents in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts agree with this.

Tetiana Kukhotska also mentioned that more and more people in Ukraine will learn about the activities of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. If in December 2017, according to KIIS, 77% of the country’s population and 76% of Donbass knew about the Foundation, these figures increased to 91.3% and 97.6% in 2018, respectively. Among the residents of Donbass and in Ukraine as a whole, the majority of respondents are sure that now aid in the east of the country is provided primarily by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

From the first days of the armed conflict in Donbass, all the efforts of the Foundation are focused on helping civilians. The Humanitarian Center, which is the largest program of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, is aimed at supporting the neediest civilians of Donbass who suffered as a result of hostilities:

– “Assistance to the population” – more than 12 million food packages were given;

– “Target aid” – more than 50,000 people received individual aid;

– About 150 thousand children of Donbass living on both sides of the contact line received assistance from Rinat Akhmetov from the beginning of the armed conflict. This is help in the form of medicines, food packages, innovative implants; psychological and physical rehabilitation, complex operations.

– “Peaceful summer to children of Donbass” – about 4,000 children received summer rest and psychological assistance;

– “Rehabilitation of injured children” – within the framework of this direction, over 100 injured children received help;

– “Evacuation and resettlement” – about 50 thousand civilians were evacuated. Of whom, 15,000 are children.

*The survey was conducted in October-November 2018 among 3,600 respondents.