MCC: While withdrawing some aid workers, agency is maintaining its efforts

Refugees reports some

1.8 million internally displaced persons and conflict-affected people live in the Ukraine. That number is expected to increase as Russia continues to attack.

“Peace building also encompasses trauma healing for us. And when people have been through trauma, through conflict, through war, those programs are so key to getting them back on the right track with their mental health, getting them to a place where they can live a full life. Trauma can really be very, very debilitating, and make somebody who’s already in a vulnerable position even more vulnerable. So those kind of mental health projects are so key when we work with people who have been in the midst of conflict and they’ve had to flee and have had to relocate,” said Kalmar.

She’s previously visited Ukraine to help with relief programs and meet some of the families they have been able to help with items donated to the MCC such as sewing or school supply kits.

“I was in Ukraine, and I met families, a single mom with three kids who is living in a one-bedroom apartment but incredibly resilient, like incredibly loving and caring mom, who’s just doing the best for her kids and receives support from MCC,” she said, noting donors have responded to the crisis.

“We’re so very grateful for all the ways they’re reaching out and really being generous to their neighbours who they’ve never met, who are thousands of miles away, but doing things like making a relief kit, filling it with soap and towels and shampoo or knitting a comforter or even donating or shopping in a thrift shop where the proceeds are part of the proceeds that will go to MCC programming, which does make such a difference in people’s lives.”

Canada has some

1.4 million people who identify as of Ukrainian heritage, perhaps the largest such immigrant population after the US.

“Oftentimes when you’re in the midst of crisis, these families who’ve had to flee and relocate and start their lives again, just knowing that there’s people in Canada who are generous and caring and compassionate and really do care about them, it’s such a sign of hope to them in a situation that can feel very, very hopeless.”

MCC is currently accepting donations to help the people in Ukraine as they try to navigate their way through the current crisis. More information about their programs can be found online at www. mcccanada.ca.