Access to everyday essentials – such as hygiene products – still remains a challenge for many Roma families, especially in remote or frontline areas, as well as in compact settlements.

Our latest joint project with Oxfam was aimed specifically at supporting these communities.

Between May and July this year, we distributed over 1,400 hygiene kits to Roma families in four regions: Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Zakarpattia.

The Voice of Romni team provided:
• 676 family kits
• 477 children’s kits
• 122 kits for people with limited mobility
• 126 kits for people with chronic illnesses

The aim of this project was to make access to basic items easier for those who need them most. What may seem like a simple, everyday necessity for some can be an unattainable luxury for others. That’s why we sought to consider the needs of different groups – families with children, older people, those with health issues, and individuals requiring special care.

In Zakarpattia, kit distribution took place in Uzhhorod, including in our office, as well as in the Radvanka neighbourhood, home to a compact Roma settlement. We also visited the village of Kontsovo in Uzhhorod district and the city of Mukachevo. In the latter, special thanks go to Roma leader and head of the Rom-Art art school, Tyberiy Yonash, who helped organize the distribution for people with limited mobility.

In Zaporizhzhia, we visited families at home, and people also came to our office to collect their kits. In Kharkiv, the kits were distributed in our local space and in the town of Merefa. In Kryvyi Rih, distribution was held at the Voice of Romni office, while our regional coordinator personally delivered kits to several people with limited mobility.

We deeply value that this project, like many before it, carries not only a material component but also an important mission: to show our care and solidarity with Roma families. We are grateful to our partners at Oxfam, because together we can provide consistent support to those facing difficult life circumstances.