Connecting refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine

Nearly two years ago, the Russian army invaded Ukraine, causing millions of people to flee their homes and leave everything behind. As of 31st of December 2023, almost 3.7 million Ukrainians are internally displaced, mainly in shelters and centers (UNHCR Report). 

Thanks to your continuous support and donations, Télécoms Sans Frontières has been committed to providing connectivity to thousands of forcibly displaced populations across Ukraine. 

Between November 2023 and February 2024, 2774 persons benefited from TSF’s free Wi-Fi connectivity in Ukraine, and at least 146 TB of data was consumed.

97% of the people taking shelter in the collective centers use the free internet connectivity mainly to check the news (94%), to stay in touch with family and friends (83%), and to look up important information (83%). 

In the last six months, TSF equipped four new IDP temporary centers in Brody, Lviv, and Chernivtsi with free Internet access. The camp in Brody is located in a forest outside of the city, meaning a connection is the only way to connect them to the Internet.

Since the beginning of our project in October 2022, over 6,000 unique devices have been connected to TSF free internet, and a total of 312 TB of data was consumed. 

There are currently 9 IDP shelters in Ukraine connected with TSF free Wi-Fi. The TSF Ukraine team is also working on connecting more centers and collaborating with new local partners.

Links:

• https://blog.tsfi.org/2-years-in-ukraine/

‘It’s a huge support’: Connectivity to ease the daily lives of displaced Ukrainians

There are nearly 5.1 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine. Women and children, who make up the majority of people fleeing the crisis, are forced to move from their homes in search of safety and better living conditions. Many of the people displaced find shelter in collective centers across the country, in a new place away from their homes, their workplace, their school.

This is what Kate, a displaced person in one of the centers TSF works with, went through with her two children – they left a month before their town was occupied. The Internet is "one of the main needs" for her and her family, to work remotely and for her children to study online.

TSF provides free Wi-fi connection in several collective centers for IDPs across Ukraine, including one in Vinnytsia, where Kate and her family are. In the various centers in Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Lviv and Brody, connectivity has helped more than 2,500 people since July 2023.

According to our survey, the four most important uses of the Internet for people using the service are consulting the news, seeking general information on their situation, contacting their family and carrying out administrative procedures. While the situation persists, the people living in the centers also have to manage their daily lives, especially when it comes to their children's schooling. 

“Now that IDPs have settled and are living in one place for several months, having access to the internet is crucial.”  a center manager told us.

In Ukraine, two out of five children were unable to return to full-time school in September (Save The Children), underlining the importance of access to online learning for children far from home. For many IDPs, being on the move means having to use 4G to access the Internet, which can be a significant expense in a family’s budget. The free Wi-fi access provided by TSF in collective centers helps avoid this. 

“We can spend less money on 4G subscriptions and it’s a huge support for all children in the center to let them study, which was difficult for them before we had free Wi-Fi.” a center resident shared with us.

This connectivity enables thousands of people to stay connected to their loved ones, access information, stay in school, or even work to keep their family afloat.