How this North Charleston nonprofit is helping residents in war-torn Ukraine

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Water Mission, a Christian engineering nonprofit, has received a $2.27 million grant from the United Nation’s International Organization for Migration to expand emergency safe water access in areas affected by the war in Ukraine.

The project, known as "Safe Water Ukraine,” will increase Water Mission’s existing impact by scaling safe water operations across four war-torn regions in southeastern Ukraine, a Water Mission news release stated. Funding provides 40 fixed systems and five mobile safe water systems to serve residents desperately in need of safe, clean water.

“This grant provides critical funding enabling us to quickly scale our efforts to bring emergency safe water throughout southeastern Ukraine,” George C. Greene, president and CEO of Water Mission, said in the release. “We are thankful for IOM’s trust and support in helping our in-country teams bring relief to people without water due to extensive damage to public infrastructure.”

Since February 2022, Water Mission deployed to serve people in need seeking safety in bordering countries, according to the release. By April, Water Mission was one of the first organizations to provide safe water access for internally displaced people (IDPs) within Ukraine.

As of December 2022, Water Mission has installed more than 40 emergency safe water systems across seven Ukrainian cities, the release stated. These systems have produced more than 20 million liters of safe water, serving more than 100,000 people.

Additionally, Water Mission teams have provided on the ground engineering expertise, consulting and water quality testing services to local municipal water operators, the release stated. Water Mission has also worked with partners to ensure dignified and hygienic living conditions for people in need by distributing necessary hygiene items, more than 10,000 hygiene kits, and three million water purification packets.

 Many cities in the region have suffered immense damage to public water and power infrastructure, according to the release. Safe water access is critical in the cold winter months. Water Mission will continue to expand its response by working collaboratively with regional city officials, local governments, and churches to address the most critical safe water needs.