Since the first week of operation of the three Journalists’ Solidarity Centers, they have been approached by more than 50 Ukrainian journalists who have been forced to leave their homes and move to safer regions due to the war. Such centers, established by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, operate in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi based on regional organizations of the union. Journalists from any region can ask for help in the centers.
The needs of media workers are different: from bulletproof vests, helmets, and signal vests “Press” to help in finding work and accommodation. Some colleagues evacuated from combat zones need emergency financial assistance. They are also often asked to provide them with technical equipment to continue their professional activities despite all the difficulties and dangers.
Among those who have already applied to the Journalists’ Solidarity Centers, mostly women journalists (70%).
“Even in these difficult conditions of forced relocation to Dnipro with young children and elderly parents, we fill our website every day and created during the war telegram channel with hot news about the war and how the residents of our Huliaipole live in the zone of constant hostilities, how the fields of Zaporizhzhya chernozem are being sown under enemy fire, – says Tatiana Velyka, editor-in-chief of the Huliaipole.City website from Zaporizhia. “I am in dire need of a new laptop, a video camera because all the equipment has remained in the editorial office.”
Lesya Babkina, a journalist from the “Zorya” newspaper in the Zolochiv village of the Bohodukhiv district of the Kharkiv region, made the same request to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. “The editorial office destroyed, we have moved to Lviv and we are working remotely on borrowed equipment,” said Ms. Lesya.
A journalist from Mariupol Hanna Pavlenko managed to leave for Germany. “I was left with nothing, but alive. I now have a temporary shelter in Berlin, I want to continue working in the information sphere, and I will be grateful for help with employment. “
Journalists also talk about the need to receive certain medications, psychological support, and legal advice.
“The advantage of the Network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is that they accumulate all requests from colleagues who have suffered from the war or are working in the war zone. Usually, journalist-refugees have several important needs at once, and work comes first. After contacting the center, we personally contact the journalist, study the situation, and get involved in solving the problem. If necessary, we involve the opportunities of our international partners for this”, said Lina Kushch, First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
FOR REFERENCE:
The task of the Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is to help journalists-refugees to settle in a new place of temporary residence, including abroad, find a job, and provide them with moral, material, and financial support. The JSCs also assist colleagues who are in the combat zone or who have come on a business trip to Ukraine.
How to refer to the Journalists’ Solidarity Center?
Fill out the form via the link:
Write to the e-mail address:
Write to the hotline on any messenger by phone at +380681266674
The network of the Journalists’ Solidarity Centers was opened with the assistance of the International and European Federations of Journalists.
