• We are helping three schools in northeastern Armenia adopt water- and energy-efficient agricultural solutions to alleviate water scarcity and promote climate resilience.
• In Ukraine, we have provided cash-based assistance to more than 291,000 people.
• In Estonia, the entrepreneurship programme “BOOST” was awarded in the category “Small Village, Big Heart” at the European Union external border programme closing gala.

Ukraine

We provide cash-based assistance, which allows people affected by war to purchase food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essentials. As of now, we have provided 

cash-based assistance to over 291,000 people, totaling over 53 million euros. Cash assistance is provided for three months, with support of 3600 Ukrainian hryvnias per household member per month, equivalent to about 80 euros. Registration for assistance is carried out through Estonian Refugee Council's local registration points or via the online application platform. Currently, our focus is on assisting those in need in frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts.
The programme is funded by the European Union, the USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) through the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Acted is the implementing partner for EU and BHA projects.

We offer vulnerable women the opportunity to participate in entrepreneurship programmes and create or develop sustainable and crisis-resilient micro-businesses. In August, 19 women who participated in the programme received in-kind support for the development of their businesses, with a total value exceeding 46,000 euros. In 2024, our focus has been on supporting women in the Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Poltava regions.

The entrepreneurship programme is supported by USAID/BHA and implemented in partnership with Acted and Garage48.

In August, we supported 72 people in the Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, and Poltava regions through our emergency livelihoods programme, with a total amount exceeding 50,000 euros. The grants help people to initiate or sustain economic activities, thereby improving their self-sufficiency. We support activities related to agriculture, livestock farming, food production, and various other services in rural areas through this programme. The grants amount up to 36,000 Ukrainian hryvnias, or approximately 800 euros.
The programme is supported by the European Union, USAID/BHA, and implemented in cooperation with Acted Ukraine.

We are part of the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), through which we assist the humanitarian community in maintaining a consistent overview of market conditions and the price levels of essential goods in Ukraine. Through JMMI, we can better prepare our cash-based assistance programs and direct them to the areas where help is most needed. Our data collection scope covers Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk oblasts.

Estonia

We are running the "Edge Up" employability programme, aimed at people with a refugee background who wish to enter the job market or move on to a more suitable position. So far, three groups have completed the programme in Estonia and two in Latvia, with one group set to start in Estonia and two in Latvia in September. In Latvia we have partnered up with a local organisation Shelter Safe House. Each month, 10–12 people participate in the training. Registration for the programme is open.

The employability programme is funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

We conduct monthly adaptation support training sessions on various subjects, including healthcare and social systems, adaptation for parents and pensioners, education system, entrepreneurship, legal issues in the context of Estonia and Ukraine, the labour market, and digital skills. The training sessions take place across Estonia, both in face-to-face and online formats, and have been attended by over 8200 refugees so far. 

We provide counselling by appointment at the Estonian Refugee Council office (Vambola 6, Tallinn) every day from 10 am to 5 pm. Our information hotline is open to all refugees, as well as institutions and individuals assisting them, at +372 5881 1311 (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm), and via email at counselling@pagulasabi.ee. Additionally, counselling services are available on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram at +372 5464 0007.

We help refugees who have suddenly lost their housing in finding emergency shelter.

We offer support person service to all beneficiaries of international protection and their family members in Estonia. Our support persons are assigned to those in need by local municipalities.
The support person service is funded by the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Ministry of the Interior. 

We organise regular group activities and community events across Estonia. This year, nearly 2600 people have participated in our community activities.

In collaboration with the Pärnu City Government, we opened the portrait exhibition "Voices from the Crises: Stories of Displaced People" in Vallikääru Park, Pärnu, showcasing the stories of refugees living in Estonia.

At the European Union external border programme closing gala, the entrepreneurship programme “BOOST: developing Ukrainian founded businesses in Estonia” received an award in the category “Small Village, Big Heart.”

We participated in the Opinion festival held in Paide on 9–10 August, where we discussed the topic “Do local authorities fear refugees?” with the UNHCR. The discussion was led by Olga Sõtnik from UNHCR and Sigrid Solnik from the Estonian Refugee Council. Additionally, Eero Janson, the Director of the Estonian Refugee Council, took part in the panel on "Border Control and Refugee Entry: Who Do We Let In?" and the panel on "Continued Support for Ukraine: What's Next?". 

Georgia

In Georgia, we continue our work with the Community Councils, which aims to empower civil society and amplify the voices of refugees and internally displaced people. Implemented in collaboration with the Mtskheta-Mtianeti Regional Hub, the councils held meetings on August 3-4. During these sessions, both councils elected their chairpersons and presented their ideas for upcoming initiatives to be worked on throughout the month.

The Community Councils programme in Georgia is supported by ESTDEV - the Estonian International Development Cooperation Centre.

We are supporting people through the Emergency Livelihoods Programme. Through the programme aimed at Ukrainian refugees, we support people's long-term self-sufficiency by helping them start or continue small businesses from home.
The programme is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Armenia 

We are helping three schools in rural areas of the Tavush region adopt water- and energy-efficient agricultural solutions developed in Estonia, to alleviate water scarcity, promote climate resilience, and provide environmental education for children.

The programme is supported by the Environmental Investment Centre.

In addition, we are establishing community councils and long-term self-sufficiency programmes in Armenia to provide a platform for people who have fled from Nagorno-Karabakh to represent their views and support their independent livelihoods.

Jordan

In Jordan, our focus is on vulnerable female-led households. We are preparing for the next phase of the programme, where we will develop our training centre and provide trainings for 40 women, with support for 12 to establish hydroponic greenhouses on their own land. The greenhouses enable women to grow food for their own families or enhance their income by selling produce. Additionally, we will conduct hydroponics training for four female-led community organisations to increase knowledge of water-efficient agricultural methods in the entire region.

The activities of the Estonian Refugee Council in Jordan are supported by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development.