More than €1m euros in aid

In order to respond to the humanitarian situation caused by the war in Ukraine, the Foundation gave one million euros in aid to humanitarian organisations helping refugees in the border countries most under pressure, as well as Ukrainian associations involved in efforts to host people in Portugal.

The international component of this support was established following contact with the networks in which the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is integrated. Direct support was provided to Polish Humanitarian Action and the Jesuit Refugee Service, specifically in countries bordering Ukraine, such as Poland, Hungary, Moldavia and Romania, where there have been the greatest efforts to aid refugees.

Furthermore, a pooled fund was established through the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), to which the Foundation made a contribution, alongside other foundations, including the Open Society Foundations, the Robert Bosch Foundation, the Fondation de France, Adessium, Compagnia di San Paolo, the Kahane Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. This fund has been supporting civil society organisations that assist people who have left Ukraine, and of a total of €4.8m provided, €3.1m has already been allocated to 15 initiatives, a sum that will be maintained throughout 2023.

At national level, in recognition of NGOs’ work in bringing more than 54,000 Ukrainian citizens to Portugal, support was granted to 5 Ukrainian associations, reinforcing their structure and operations. Involved from the outset in providing humanitarian support and receiving refugees, these associations received up to €50,000, in 2 instalments, which enabled specific needs to be met, such as bolstering staff, buying basic necessities (school and computer equipment) and purchasing books in Ukrainian.

Further support involved organising Portuguese language classes and providing legal and psychological support, while yet more funds were provided for cultural visits, holiday camps and artistic activities, especially once people had become more integrated, bearing in mind that 1/3 of Ukrainian refugees in Portugal are children. In April 2022, the Foundation launched a nationwide call to create what were named ABC Groups (from the Portuguese ‘Aprender, Brincar, Crescer’ – Learn, Play, Grow), with the aim of funding projects that promote education and care for children aged 0 to 6 years, and their families.

Between April and September 2022, this emergency support was focused on private non-profit organisations and reached more than 200 children and 100 carers. The projects took place in the municipalities of Águeda, Braga, Cascais, Coimbra, Faro, Leiria, Lisbon, Mafra and Quarteira. In addition, a collaboration protocol was established with the Associação Caminhos da Infância and Lisbon City Council for the creation of an ABC group at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation headquarters.