Winter Hugs is our new emergency project.

Winter is coming to Ukraine, and with it Russian strikes against energy infrastructure.

When we arrived in Kyiv a few weeks ago, the weather was still summery. Now it's getting colder, and the forecast is for a particularly harsh winter.

But beyond the climate, a new threat hangs over the Ukrainians.

👉 This year, the Russian strikes are no longer primarily targeting the electricity network, as in previous winters, but the gas reserves, with a direct impact on the collective systems that supply hot water and central heating to apartment blocks.

Last year, thanks to the deployment of generators and the remarkable reorganisation of the electricity network, the impact of the power cuts was limited. This time, the situation could become critical in many regions: Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporijjia, Odessa and Kherson, where The Small Projects Team is particularly active with its partner Union of Help to Kherson. The risk of heating paralysis is extremely high.

👉 Our response - since closing the sky is not in our hands - will be to distribute sleeping bags to families, children and the elderly threatened with spending the winter in freezing flats. This isn't an idea we've dreamed up: it's a direct request from our partners on the ground.

We are currently negotiating with Ukrainian companies to purchase as much locally manufactured equipment as possible, in order to support the country's economy and employment. But at the end of the day, our only aim is to get as much as possible.

At the same time, we are also looking for in-kind donations of bags from organisations or companies.

👉 How you can help

Every contribution counts:

• Financial donations will enable us to place major orders directly with Ukrainian factories.
• Contacts with manufacturers are invaluable: if you know any, or if you are one yourself, contact us.

Together, we can prevent thousands of Ukrainians from spending the winter in unbearable cold.

We are a 100 % volunteer organisation, on the ground since 2022. All the funds raised go directly to our programmes, in just a few days. No intermediaries, no salaries: just impact.

Thank you for your solidarity. Every sleeping bag, every euro, every gesture counts.