Three Years, Thousands of Reasons to Be There for People: How the EAST SOS Team Supports People in Kharkiv

Zatyshno space, a space for psychosocial and legal support, opened its doors in late October 2023 and has since become the heart of the EAST SOS Charity Foundation’s work in Kharkiv. People come here to talk, obtain the information they need, meet others, or simply spend time somewhere they know they will be listened to and supported.

Over the past three years, Zatyshno space has welcomed more than 20,000 visitors. A total of 1,614 events have been held there, and specialists have provided more than 6,000 psychological, social, and legal consultations.

Behind every number lies a human story, important questions, a need for support and professional assistance. This experience has shown that many people in Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast need support beyond the walls of the space.

Today, the EAST SOS team works throughout the oblast: meeting evacuees at transit centers, supporting people affected by russian attacks, and helping people at Zatyshno space adapt to a new city, access the support they need, and take their first steps toward the next stage of their lives. Our regional team also helps carry out work across various Foundation’s departments – from delivering essential supplies to repairing and setting up collective sites and residential care facilities.

For three years, we have been fulfilling the EAST SOS mission in Kharkiv:

Meeting evacuees

In more than a year of work, the Foundation’s teams at transit centers have welcomed over 65,000 evacuees, including people from Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

Helping people access essential items

Clothing, treats, rehabilitation aids, SIM cards, phones, as well as pet food and carriers, help meet daily needs, maintain their independence, stay in touch with loved ones, and care for their pets.

In August and September 2026 alone, the EAST SOS team strengthened our Foundation’s humanitarian response efforts, delivering around 1,000 items of essential aid at transit centers.

Bringing comfort back to homes

Since 2023, the EAST SOS reconstruction team has repaired 1,990 houses in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts that were damaged by russian shelling.

Improving accommodation and living conditions in hromadas

In Kharkiv Oblast, the Foundation renovates and equips collective sites and residential care facilities, making them more comfortable and accessible for residents. We also address the needs of hromadas by building safety centers, restoring water supply systems, and providing water treatment reagents.

Remaining a source of support for evacuees in their new homes

At collective sites, the EAST SOS team regularly assists displaced people with applying for social benefits and official documentation, accessing social and medical services, and receiving legal and psychological support.

Over the past year alone, the team has provided approximately 4,000 consultations.

Supporting people after shelling

After russian attacks, it is important that those affected are not left alone to face the aftermath, have access to professional assistance, and know what to do next. Since June 2025, our team been on the ground in affected areas of Kharkiv.

During this period, our specialists have provided 148 psychological consultations, 180 legal consultations, and 117 social consultations.

Committed to listening to everyone

At Zatyshno space, people can talk about what is troubling them, ask important questions, and receive professional support.

Over three years, the team has helped people address legal and social issues, take care of their emotional well-being, and identify their next steps, providing 6,000 consultations.

Enjoying every day together

More than 500 creative and interactive activities led by our educators at Zatyshno space over three years have given children, teenagers, and families opportunities to create, play, meet others, try new things, and spend their time together in an engaging way.

We are grateful to everyone who has been by our side over these three years. Your trust helps us continue this mission.

Activities at Zatyshno space in Kharkiv are carried out as part of the project “Protection and Psychosocial Support for War-Affected Populations in Ukraine’s Frontline Regions” (2026–2027), funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.