In the Pivdenna hromada in Kharkivska Oblast, displaced men and women can receive financial assistance from the local budget once a year. These changes, adopted in 2025, were made possible thanks to the initiative of the IDP Council under the Executive Committee of the Pivdenne City Council.
Representatives of IDP Councils work daily to prepare initiatives that strengthen the social protection of internally displaced persons and facilitate their integration into hromadas.
Regional teams from the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” help IDP Councils implement important changes in hromadas. They regularly provide professional coordination and mentoring support, as well as conduct strategic sessions.
CF SSS implements these activities within the framework of the Support to the Capacity of Government Institutions and Local Hromadas to Strengthen Social Protection Systems in Ukraine project, implemented with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine.
This story is a continuation of a series of publications that share the results of IDP Councils’ work across Ukraine, showcasing successful local advocacy cases and inspiring other IDP Councils to pursue significant change.
Monitoring Local Programs as a Tool to Strengthen IDP Support
Monitoring local programs and seeking opportunities to support displaced men and women in new hromadas are priorities for IDP Councils. Council members do not simply record problems; they develop recommendations and propose improvements to local programs or regulations for hromadas. This makes it easier to support vulnerable categories of internally displaced persons.
“Many people arrive in the Pivdenna hromada from more dangerous towns and villages in Kharkivska Oblast. Often, they leave home without belongings, sometimes even without documents. Previously, displaced persons would approach the authorities, but only local residents could apply for one-time financial assistance. My team and I analyzed the existing programs in the hromada and proposed changes to enable internally displaced persons to receive financial support. Such results inspire us to keep working,” says Alina Rudakova, Head of the IDP Council under the Executive Committee of the Pivdenne City Council.
Representatives of regional teams from the Charity Foundation “Stabilization Support Services” provide comprehensive support to IDP Councils, resulting in positive outcomes. Our team in Kharkivska Oblast has been working with the IDP Council under the Executive Committee of the Pivdenne City Council since 2024. During this time, they have helped update its membership, conducted a strategic planning session, and supported the creation of working groups for specific areas.
“The social issues initiative group, together with us, monitored local policies and concluded that internally displaced persons needed additional social support. After reviewing the documents, a representative of the working group proposed that the IDP Council send a letter to the City Council Secretary regarding the possibility of amending the procedure for providing one-time financial assistance. This issue was voiced at a council meeting and supported by everyone. Subsequently, we prepared an official letter and sent it to the local council’s executive committee. At a regular session, deputies voted in favor of the proposed changes. This case shows that the authorities hear and support the initiatives of the IDP council. However, it is important to formalize such proposals in writing. That is why we teach IDP council representatives how to draft official appeals, monitor local programs, and find mechanisms for their improvement to enhance the protection of internally displaced persons,” says Svitlana Ludan, Regional Project Coordinator in Kharkivska Oblast.
How Can IDPs Apply for Assistance?
Since the adoption of the changes in the Pivdenna hromada, 5 internally displaced persons have received one-time financial assistance. For 2026, over 600,000 UAH has been allocated in the local budget for one-time financial assistance to IDPs.
“To submit documents for one-time financial assistance, people need to visit the Administrative Services Center (ASC). An administrator will advise on which documents need to be attached to the application. Additionally, we offer the option of pre-booking an appointment with a specialist,” explains Iryna Lisitsyna, Head of the Social Protection Department of the Pivdenne City Council.
Who Can Receive Assistance and When?
- People requiring post-operative treatment or oncological treatment.
- Owners of residential buildings affected by natural disasters (lightning strikes, floods, hurricanes, fires, etc.).
- Single individuals aged 80+ years.
- Children with disabilities (subgroup A).
- Patients with renal failure requiring hemodialysis (transportation).
- Owners of residential buildings (regardless of registered place of residence) whose property was damaged by hostilities within the hromada (bombings, airstrikes, and other armed attacks) and who, for various reasons, were unable to use the state eRecovery program as of the application date.
- People who were physically affected by hostilities (bombings, airstrikes, and other armed attacks) within the Pivdenna hromada.
- People affected by the Chornobyl disaster.
What Documents Must Be Submitted With the Application?
- Copy of passport.
- Tax ID Code.
- Consent for the processing and use of personal data.
- Certificate of registration as an IDP (in the case of an application by an IDP).
Depending on the grounds for the application, the following documents must also be added:
- A certificate from a medical facility or an extract from a medical history regarding surgical intervention (for those needing post-operative treatment).
- A fire report for a residential building issued by specialists of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (for owners of housing affected by fire).
- An act from the Commission on Technogenic and Environmental Safety and Emergency Situations under the Executive Committee of the City Council (for owners of housing affected by natural disasters).
- A certificate from a medical facility or an extract from a medical history/medical record confirming the presence of a disease (for cancer patients).
- A certificate from the Municipal Non-Profit Enterprise “Primary Health Care Center No. 1 of Kharkiv District” of the Pivdenne City Council (for patients requiring transportation for programmed hemodialysis).
- An inspection report of an object damaged as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, compiled by the commission under the Executive Committee of the Pivdenne City Council (for owners of residential buildings whose property was damaged by hostilities within the hromada).
- A certificate from a medical facility or an extract from a medical history/medical record confirming injuries sustained as a result of the aforementioned hostilities (for those who physically suffered from hostilities).
- A copy of the Chornobyl disaster victim certificate (for those affected by the Chornobyl NPP accident).
Hanna Ostroverkh is one of those who needed one-time financial assistance.
“We were forced to move from Derhachi to Pivdenne because our hometown suffered from constant shelling and destruction. In 2025, at 6:10 AM, a direct hit struck the house we were renting. My daughter and I were injured, and we urgently needed money for medicine. Doctors diagnosed a closed traumatic brain injury, acoustic trauma, and minor cuts from shrapnel. I learned from colleagues that it was possible to apply for a one-time financial assistance grant. This was a great support for us, as after the hit, we lost everything we had in the apartment,” Hanna shares her impressions.
IDP Council initiatives supported by local authorities translate into real help for those in need. This story is about justice—when a community supports everyone who needs it, without dividing people into “locals” and “displaced persons.”
Read other stories about the successful practices of IDP Councils:
Successes of IDP Councils: Access to Assistance for IDPs Expanded in Lubny
This publication was prepared with the support of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the Charity Organization “Charity Foundation ‘Stabilization Support Services’” and in no way reflects the views of UNHCR.