By Ines GUITTONNEAU | Communications Officer
Dear friend of TSF,
Three years ago, the Russian army invaded Ukraine, forcing millions to flee their home. 4 million are internally displaced within the country, mainly in shelters and collective centers. Most of them have left everything they know: their loved ones, their home, their school, their city. They need to stay in contact with their friends and family, access education, and much more.
Thanks to your continuous support, Télécoms Sans Frontières has connected thousands of internally displaced people across Ukraine, working with shelters and local organizations.
3 years of collaboration with local actors to provide essential connectivity
TSF’s team in Ukraine works with shelter managers to connect people affected by the war. After identifying shelters who have no access to connectivity –for example, because they are in an isolated area, like a forest–, TSF meets with shelter managers to assess needs, understand how many people are in the shelter, if they have children who need access to online education, and so on.
In February, TSF’s Regional Manager met with potential partners on the ground, from an alliance of local NGOs to international organizations. TSF has been working in collaboration with organizations and shelter managers since the start of its response in the country.
To consolidate our action in Ukraine, we have created a local NGO, “TSF Ukraine”. One of the goals is to reinforce the presence of TSF in the country, opening new opportunities for collaboration.
The story of Natalia, who uses connectivity to help injured people
Working together is key – we met Natalia, who manages a gym for reeducation purposes in one of the shelters we connect. Thanks to the Wi-Fi provided, she was able to use online exercises to help people, including a 14-year-old boy with a fractured ankle. “It was a very difficult fracture,” Natalia explained. “For three and a half months, he had plaster, and when it was removed, he walked on crutches. He came to me with them. Then, after a few exercises, he began to walk with one crutch, [and now,] he is everywhere without crutches. These are our little victories. Without these exercises that go on TV, it would be unrealistic that this child would be recovering already.”
Today, we connect more than 20 shelters across Ukraine, providing essential connectivity for people affected by the war. More than 10,000 people accessed TSF’s free Wi-Fi since the beginning of the response.
The regional manager of the Europe region at TSF visited the country in February 2025:
“I'm in Ukraine to finalize the registration of TSF, and consolidate our action in the country. After 3 years of war, 4 million people have been internally displaced. Many of them are residing in collective sites, far away from their home and loved ones. These displaced people need the Internet to scholarize their children, stay in touch with their families, find remote work, and access administrative services. That is why I am also here to meet with partners and discuss how we can work better together to make sure that people affected by the war have access to an Internet connection they can rely on. Now more than ever, connecting people in Ukraine is crucial to making sure they continue to live their lives with dignity, and have hope for the future.” Sébastien Latouille, Regional Manager, Europe.
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