GER3's Ukraine team was happy to celebrate the opening of Kalynivka Kindergarten, "Veselka"! Check out the before and after pictures of our work!
Veselka is the only operable kindergarten in the Makariv community, which had over 3000 buildings destroyed in 2022 due to Russian hostilities. As a result, Veselka accepts 254 children rather than their standard capacity of 170. Veselka is located near a power station, a frequent target of Russian bombings; it is extremely important for the children to have safe and dignified conditions in which they can shelter during such attacks.
Children and staff had been sheltering in a storage building during air raids, however this building (originally used to store vegetables) was unequipped to serve as a bomb shelter.
GER3 repaired and strengthened the structure's walls, ceiling, stairs, plumbing, water supply, electricity, bathrooms, heating system, and two exits. GER3 also partnered with the local NGO Istok to provide furniture.
#ukraine #bombshelter #emergencyresponse #disasterrelief#kindergarten #russiaukraine
Hurricane Beryl: Assessment Update #2
GER3 is happy to share further updates from our GRT assessment of Hurricane Beryl damages on SVG.
GER3 is working on efforts in St. Vincent to launch a GER3-led initiative for fishing livelihoods in the Southern Grenadines. We are awaiting results from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) livelihood assessment. The FAO assessment will determine how GER3 can best allocate resources to support these communities.
We are also near to submitting a Union Island-based roof repair plan to the IOM.
GER3 continues to participates in talks with the educational sector on Union Island, as well as other NGO organizations to coordinate relief efforts.
Hurricane Beryl: Assessment Update
Our Global Response Team (GRT) has been working diligently on Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines since deployment two weeks ago.
We have helped launch cash for work debris teams on Union Island, where roads were deemed impenetrable due to the amount of storm wreckage.
GRT has met with numerous officials from primary and secondary school principals to best lay out a response to the education crisis now gripping the islands. This week, our team will meet with the Ministry of Education of Carriacou, Grenada.
Numerous meetings with fellow NGOs, potential donors, and local government officials have also been conducted over the past weeks. We aim to utilize our resources effectively and efficiently so to not overlap with other groups and reach the islands' most vulnerable communities as quickly as possible.
We look forward to updating soon with further information.
Bahamas Phase IV Update
We are pleased to announce the completion of six Abaco home rehabilitations! Our Bahamas work has continued amid our efforts to assess the damages of Hurricane Beryl on Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. See below our most recent stats for Phase IV of our Abaco Home Rehabilitation and Capacity Building Project!
Of the 22 homes to be rehabilitated:
- 6/22 have completed renovations
- 5/22 are currently undergoing construction
- 10/22 have materials on site
A unique feature of Phase IV Abaco is that the majority of these homes are multigenerational, including the two completed homes. The rehabilitation of these homes creates stability throughout generations; continuation of work and school is ensured through our work.
Hurricane Beryl: Activating Response
GER3 is responding to Hurricane Beryl, which devastated multiple islands in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and before making landfall in Jamaica. Initial damage assessments indicate catastrophic damage on the islands of Union, Mayreau, and Canouan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as well as Petite Martinique and Carriacou in Grenada, with over 90% of homes damaged or destroyed on each island. Thousands of people are affected, and multiple deaths have been reported. The full extent of the damage in Jamaica is still being determined.
Petite Martinique, Grenada - Arthur Daniel, Reuters
GER3 is deploying its Global Response Team (GRT) to the Grenadines and Grenada and will be operational in affected areas as soon as possible. Our team will work with community members to identify families most in need, understand how to best support, and provide the appropriate help to rapidly advance the relief and recovery effort.
Likely support includes:
Debris removal to enable humanitarian access and facilitate initial relief and recovery efforts for affected homes, schools, and health facilities
Livelihoods support, including cash-for-work programs and local capacity strengthening
Provision of temporary shelter facilities and emergency shelter supplies
Rapid rehabilitation of key community infrastructure, with a focus on homes, schools, and health facilities
Connecting families with a range of partner resources (e.g. food, water, housing, medical facilities) that can help them recover faster
As with all GER3 operations, we seek to use sustainable supplies, recycle available materials, and respond based on the needs specified by the communities themselves.
GER3 believes response is strengthened through partnerships and is looking forward to working with other organizations to have a deep impact on targeted families. GER3 will also leverage the partnerships developed during our response to the La Soufriere volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 2021.
100% of any donations made here on our website will now go directly to the GER3 Beryl operation, unless otherwise requested to go to one of GER3’s ongoing operations elsewhere.
Hurricane Beryl: Closely Monitoring
GER3 is closely monitoring Hurricane Beryl, on track to hit the Caribbean Islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, St. Lucia, and Grenada today (Monday July 1st).
We will continue to update GER3’s social media and website as the situation develops.
Photo: New York Times
UN Funding Awarded
We are pleased to announce that the UN recently awarded GER3 $2.2 million for 500 home repairs in the Kherson Oblast! The project will span one year, beginning on May 1st. We are incredibly grateful to have received such generous funding and look forward to beginning its implementation in the coming days.
Phase IV Kickoff: Abaco, Bahamas
GER3 is excited to announce the kickstart of Phase IV of our home rehabilitation project in Abaco, Bahamas. This phase of work will be led by our local team and will include significant rehabilitation and reconstruction of 22 homes. We are honored to work alongside such a great community through the full recovery process following Hurricane Dorian.
Bakhmach School Bomb Shelter Completion
We are pleased to share the transformation of the Bachmach School bomb shelter! This video documents both our initial evaluation of the school basement during summer 2023 and the celebration of the final renovation late last year.
In 2022, the Ukrainian government issued a requirement for in-person learning that all schools must have a functional bomb shelter. GER3 rehabilitated the Bachmach School’s basement into a safe and effective bomb shelter, outfitted with accommodations for classroom learning and students with disabilities. The in-person learning enabled by these bomb shelters not only furthers students’ education, but allows families to return to their communities, parents to return to work, and children to return to their friends.
Thank you for all the support to our operations in Ukraine 2023 and beyond!
Winterization Project Update
The GER3 Ukraine team has repaired and winterized 24 war-damaged homes in the last three weeks! This crucial work keeps people in their homes and out of the dangerously cold winter temperatures. Our strong local team members, like Construction Supervisor Dmytro, make this work possible as we continue to scale up and expand operations in Ukraine.
