Support for evacuees and community resilience: IDPs in Sumy receive social assistance

In Sumy, Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and Minister of Social Policy, Family and Unity Denys Uliutin visited facilities that have already assisted thousands of people. The short-term transit centre has accommodated over 18,000 evacuees, while the Resilience Centre has supported nearly 4,500 Ukrainians.

The transit centre, run by the NGO “Pluriton,” can house up to 250 people at a time. It operates on a “one-stop-shop” principle: individuals receive IDP certificates, register for evacuation trains, apply for financial aid, and access medical and psychological support. A safe space with activities and art therapy has been set up for children.

The Resilience Centre, based at the NGO “Merezhyvo” since May 2024, serves as a support hub for veterans, IDPs, families with children, the elderly, and military families. The team includes psychologists, social workers, and a social manager. Since the start of 2025, it has provided over 6,000 services.

“Sumy region is currently a frontline holding firm against the war. It’s crucial for us that people here can access everything they need – from temporary shelter to free psychosocial support at Resilience Centres,” said Denys Uliutin.

Both facilities operate on a partnership model: the state establishes regulatory frameworks, while NGOs deliver services on the ground.

The Minister stressed that the state’s current priority is to ensure these services become sustainable and accessible to all who need them.

The Government has adopted resolutions to compensate utility costs for facilities providing free accommodation to IDPs and allocated subsidies for repairs and refurbishments. The Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity is also preparing decisions to extend the Resilience Centres project, which operates under the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Programme “How Are You?” initiated by First Lady Olena Zelenska.