The crisis that has broken out in Ukraine has not left the companies and structures of Legacoop indifferent. In recent weeks, the solidarity initiatives undertaken in support of the Ukrainian population have multiplied, both with aid to the country and with support for all those who have fled the war by taking refuge in Italy or in the countries bordering Ukraine.
As always happens, the richness of the activism of the Legacoop cooperative movement lies in the flourishing of multiple solidarity initiatives from the territories. Initiatives that often arise from direct contacts, personal relationships, solidarity between cooperatives and network actions with other civil society organizations sharing the same values and principles.
In order to provide a glimpse of the plurality of initiatives undertaken, we collect some of them here, certain that many others born in the territories will emerge. For further information on each initiative we invite you to click on the respective titles.
Legacoop has decided to support the campaign of solidarity for the people of Ukraine promoted by WeWorld-GVC, an associated organization that has been active all over the world for fifty years in support to the most vulnerable communities. With the funds raised, WeWorld-GVC - thanks to the alliance with its partner ChildFund Germany - is supporting the most fragile families, starting with women and children, giving them access to shelter, food and first aid.
Legacoop's adhesion to the WeWorld campaign led to raise 78 thousand euros of funds.
In Ukraine WeWorld has implemented a series of actions to face the emergency and give support to the Ukrainian people to overcome the trauma they are experiencing. In particular in Lviv they are developing psychological support for boys and girls in transit centers. Furthermore, for the most vulnerable families, WeWorld and local partners have activated cash assistance actions so that they can have money immediately to respond to basic needs or leave the country if necessary. The organization also offers legal guidance for refugees and psychological support and emergency training to volunteers who have been working in the field relentlessly for over 20 days.
The #CoopforUkraine fundraising campaign promoted by Coop Italia to bring immediate help to Ukrainian families fleeing the war has already raised over € 1.2 million thanks to the starting credit of consumer cooperatives (€ 500,000) and the over 81,000 individual donations collected so far. These funds are supporting the work of UNHCR, the Community of Sant'Egidio and Doctors Without Borders, three associations, already active in Ukraine with consolidated humanitarian projects, which today have converted their activities into first aid programs. Coop is now relaunching with the second phase of a more territorial nature managed by the individual cooperatives in favor of the local host associations. From 5th April, members and customers will be able to continue donating at the cash registers of Coop points of sale, for the benefit of local associations that are working to welcome refugees arriving from Ukraine.
Granarolo and Camst Group together for Ukraine
GranaroloandCamst group,normally linked by two-way customer / supplier relationships, have come together to bring a little help to the population of Ukraine, where everything is scarce today, even food. A lot of products donated to help the population reached the cities of Kharkiv and Kiev. It consisted of a 3-truck convoy that reached Ukraine through a channel activated with local logistics partners. Granarolo provided long-life milk, milk for children and babies, pasta and snacks, while the Camst group sent canned products, biscuits and snacks, for a total of about 60 tons of products.
Support to Ukrainian agricultural cooperatives
In the spirit of the sixth cooperative principle "cooperation between cooperatives" a beautiful initiative was undertaken by Aroundtheworld.coop of Rome together with the Cooperative Academy (research and training cooperative based in Dnipro) and with the logistical support of Polish consumer cooperative Dobrze based in Warsaw.
The three structures have started a collection of funds that will be destined to help the farmers of Ukrainian agricultural cooperatives to overcome the moment of crisis and continue to produce in order to support local communities.
Hospitality and support for Ukrainian refugees
At the Corniglio hostel the 100 Laghi cooperative welcomed 49 refugees, rescued thanks to the initiative of the rugby team Le Zebre of Parma in collaboration with the Polytechnic Rugby Club of Kiev. The activities are now aimed at favoring the integration and well-being of the people welcomed. Members of the cooperative and various volunteers have taken steps to assist them in the necessary and planned activities, such as medical examinations. Some housing options are now being examined through a screening of the situation of the host families. Some solutions have been identified in Parma and Piacenza while some hosts have already reached relatives in France and Germany.
Refugee reception: Legacoopsociali and Legacoop Abitanti in camp
Legacoopsociali and Legacoop Abitanti took action to identify accommodations to welcome refugees from conflict zones through the synergy between social cooperatives and the housing cooperatives.
The initiative of the two Associations has particular focus on the regions where the migratory flow has a greater impact such as Emilia Romagna, Lombardia and Piemonte, where social cooperatives with experience in widespread hospitality and social and work inclusion operate and where important housing cooperatives can ensure that allocation rules are eased in response to the emergency.
Initiatives from the Netoworks
Cooperatives Europe has also moved in support of Ukrainian cooperation, fundraising in support of the Ukraine Central Union of Consumer Societies. The proceeds will go in support of the rehabilitation of structures destroyed during the conflict, trying to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe for the Ukrainian cooperative community. It is possible to find all the initiatives undertaken by the member organizations of Cooperatives Europe at the following link.
Several other initiatives are undertaken by the networks to which Legacoop and its structures adhere. This is the case, for example, of the Stop the war now initiative, promoted by the Organization of Italian NGOs AOI (to which Haliéus adheres), together with a plurality of Italian associations and civil society networks. Thanks to the initiative from March 31st to April 3rd, a caravan of 50 vehicles reached Ukraine to testify the reason for Peace against the voice of arms, bring material aid and allow people with frailty, single mothers, children and the elderly to leave their country in conflict and reach Italy.
The commitment of Legacoop and related structures does not limit to the emergency support. It also contributes to building peace and promoting a mature debate that leads to the rejection of violence as the only means of resolving disputes. For instance, Legacoop Umbria has joined the Perugia-Assisi Peace March scheduled for Sunday 24 April and promoted by the Table for Peace. The round table “Ukraine: a road to peace” realized on 5th April by the Disarmament Archive together with the Barberini Foundation moved in the same direction.
You can report further initiatives undertaken in favor of the Ukrainian population by writing to esteri@legacoop.coop
