By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS- UN refugee agency on Tuesday said that it has helped repair over 40,000 war-damaged homes marked a major step in helping displaced families return and recover as relentless attacks continue to damage homes and communities across Ukraine.
UNHCR said that the housing remains one of the country’s most urgent humanitarian and recovery challenges. The destruction has been widespread and ongoing.
According to the latest Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, 13% of Ukraine’s housing stock has been damaged since February 2022, impacting an estimated 2.5 million families.
UNHCR has invested over $114 million in durable housing solutions since July 2022 in coordination with Ukrainian authorities and partners, supporting both durable home repairs and emergency shelter assistance.
Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR’s representative in Ukraine said “By helping repair houses and apartments, we are enabling people to stay in or return to their homes places that hold profound meaning, often passed down through generations,”.
“These are not just buildings. These are treasured spaces where couples raised their children, families celebrated milestones, cared for older relatives and built their lives together,” she said.
UNHCR’s support includes a range of solutions: contracting local builders, providing construction materials or offering cash assistance to homeowners.
Repairs may include roofs, windows, insulation and in some cases, major reconstruction, UNHCR stated.
The agency also helps restore common areas in apartment buildings.
UNHCR provides emergency shelter kits – tarpaulin, wooden boards, nails and other materials to help protect homes from further weather damage.
Since 2022, over 470,000 people have received such kits.
UNHCR supports broader shelter options, including restoring social housing, repairing rural homes and refurbishing collective centres for the most vulnerable as millions still internally displaced many from areas under temporary occupation and with little prospect of return.
