The Basque Government activates the Isuri Fund to deal with the social consequences of the war in Ukraine

The Basque Government, through the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies, has activated the Isuri Fund, endowed with €15.1 millionwhich includes a package of urgent measures to deal with the economic and social consequences of the war in Ukraine.

In a statement, the Basque Executive has explained that to the “immediate measures” put in place in the days after the Russian invasion of the country, “complementary measures” are now being added to respond to the needs of the “most vulnerable sectors of the the population”.

Aid to refugee families

Among the five programs that make up Isuri is ‘Azken sarea indartzen Ukraine’which includes the granting of aid to refugee individuals and families to cover their basic needs.

The Basque Government has stated that, in the context of the crisis unleashed by the war in Ukraine, this program has been reactivated with a total allocation of 3 million to help displaced families who have arrived in the Basque Country and are sheltered in Basque homes.

In addition, he underlined that the role of Euskadi’s Third Social Sector entities is “essential” in the development of these initiatives and, therefore, another of the programs included in Isuries Loturak, which will put migrants in contact with local community reception networks. The budget allocated to this “strategic” item amounts to 500,000 euros, while an amount of 1.5 million is also contemplated for the first reception program.

Within the framework of the complementary social rescue fund, a psychosocial support program will also be offered, baptized as Berritze, which, in order to facilitate coexistence, will serve both Ukrainian individuals and families sheltered in Basque homes and those themselves. host families.

Included among the latter are those linked to the associations for the reception of boys and girls from Chernobyl, who have experienced “with special concern” the situation of “extreme gravity and incommunicado” caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the area adjacent to the area Chernobyl exclusion.

Berritze It will carry out a psychological assessment and propose the most appropriate therapeutic approach to deal with the anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms generated by the war conflict, in addition to accompanying the affected people in their process of mourning. The budget reserved for this program is 500,000 euros.

The Isuri Fund also contemplates the expansion of Aukerak Suspertzena community out-of-school educational support program that seeks to eliminate the digital gap and strengthen the capacities of girls, boys, adolescents and families in a situation of social disadvantage through the activation of the local community fabric.

In order to include children and adolescents from Ukraine and facilitate their academic integration, Aukerak Suspertzen has increased its budget by 300,000 euros. The set of measures enabled for the reception of refugees from Ukraine will be completed with an educational leisure program for these young people that the Basque Government is already developing and that will be activated later.

At the end of the month, when the first four programs are activated, information will also be provided on the established channels and the necessary procedures to access the aid and programs.

vulnerable groups

Beyond the programs specifically focused on the reception of people and families from Ukraine, the social rescue fund set up by the Basque Government also includes complementary aid for the care of various Basque groups in situations of vulnerability.

Thus, the Social Emergency Aid (AES) is increased by 3.5 million euros to deal with the economic consequences of the invasion of Ukraine in Basque households.

Likewise, the ‘Azken sarea indartzen’ program, to cover the basic needs of those who lack other sources of income and cannot access other types of aid, is reinforced with 3 million euros. This is a reactivation of the same program that in 2020 was part of the Covid fund ‘Inor atzean utzi gabe’, preventing 4,128 families at “severe risk” from ending up in a situation of exclusion, and which also extends to displaced Ukrainian individuals and families.

For its part, the program against energy poverty articulated through the Red Cross increases its initial budget by 200,000 euros, up to a million euros, complementing the financial aid in this area.

Similarly, the package of complementary measures activated by the Executive includes an item of 600,000 euros for the integration of homeless people; while expanding the program by 1.5 million trapezistak, which provides help to young people who lack a family support network. Finally, a further 500,000 euros are allocated to strengthening local support networks for older people in situations of vulnerability.