Ukraine: CBM’s inclusive humanitarian response

CBM delivers disability-inclusive humanitarian responses in Ukraine, focusing on rehabilitation, health care, and advocacy to support persons with disabilities and vulnerable populations. With a budget exceeding 15 million Euros, CBM collaborates with local NGOs to deliver essential services, including mental health support and cash assistance, promoting long-term inclusion and recovery.

Assistance unlocking opportunities

Russia’s full-scale invasion continues to impact Ukraine’s population. Around 12,7 million people need humanitarian assistance. This is roughly one in three people in the country.

More than 6 million people in Ukraine are estimated to have a disability, including 3 million officially registered (half of whom are over 60). The war has led 10 million people to develop conflict-related mental health conditions. About 3.9 million of them are moderate to severe cases.

These groups face higher risks and barriers: many cannot easily access information or receive aid due to mobility challenges, communication barriers, or unsafe conditions.

The scale and complexity of needs in Ukraine remain high.  Disability inclusion in humanitarian response remains essential to reach the most at-risk.

CBM’s approach in Ukraine...

CBM worked in Ukraine from 1997 to 2013 before broadening its focus to support the world’s most marginalised communities. Since 2022, CBM has re-engaged in Ukraine, responding to urgent needs across conflict-affected communities. The work ensures that persons with disabilities and others at increased risk are not left behind. In four years, we have partnered with 20 international and local non-government organisations and organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to deliver nine high-impact projects with measurable, life-changing results.

  • 15.1 mln Portfolio budget in EURO

  • 9 Projects in Ukraine since 2022

  • 113,765 People reached

...and the key areas of work

  • Inclusive healthcare and rehabilitation: We support access to quality healthcare and rehabilitation for conflict-affected communities through outreach and medical transport services, referrals, assistive products, and strengthened rehabilitation pathways.
  • Inclusive cash assistance: Targeted cash assistance helps households meet basic needs such as safe shelter, food, medical support and essential services. The focus remains on households facing higher risk and access barriers.
  • Mental health and psychosocial support: Counselling and community-based support strengthen the well-being of displaced people, returnees, and other affected groups.
  • Protection: Our work promotes dignity, safety, and rights through inclusive, safe, and accessible humanitarian services for internally displaced persons (IDPs), persons with disabilities, and other at-risk groups. Community-based support systems reduce reliance on institutions for children and adults with disabilities.
  • Education and livelihoods: Our programmes strengthen inclusive education and pathways to work through teacher training, skills development, and inclusive vocational and livelihood opportunities, including for veterans and persons with disabilities.
  • Capacity strengthening of local actors: We build the capacity of local organisations, including OPDs, humanitarian actors, and health and social service providers, to deliver accessible, inclusive, and rights-based services at scale.

Institutional funding and consortium opportunities

A woman in a wheel chair

German government invests in disability rights in Ukraine

CBM Ukraine seeks partnerships with German- and EU-registered NGOs to develop and implement joint proposals and consortium-based projects for institutional donors. We are open to lead and partner roles. CBM brings strong expertise in disability inclusion and accessibility, inclusive health (including eye health and ear and hearing care), rehabilitation, mental health and psychosocial support, protection, and capacity strengthening.

Current institutional fundings include:

  • German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ): Transitional Development Assistance (TDA), Special Initiative “Displaced Persons and Host Countries” (SIGA),
  • German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO)
  • European Union (EU) funding instruments
  • European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO registration in place)
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

 

Interested in consortium cooperation? Please contact us to explore joint opportunities and share your organisation’s profile, thematic priorities, donor eligibility/registrations, and current planning timelines.

Call for local partnerships

CBM welcomes partnership enquiries from Ukrainian NGOs, OPDs, and civil society organisations (CSOs) interested in collaborating to deliver inclusive, accountable support for conflict-affected communities. We are particularly looking for partners with a strong humanitarian focus.

 

Interested in working with us? Please contact CBM Ukraine to explore partnership opportunities and share a short organisational profile, geographic coverage, and core technical expertise

 

Find out more about our humanitarian action work