Winning the war in Ukraine doesn’t end on the last day of conflict, so Unity for Freedom and Alex Rekeda plan ahead for long-term recovery.
The war being fought by brave Ukrainian men and women is a conflict targeting culture, independence, and national identity, with Russia as the aggressor. While urgent needs are the most immediate and are being addressed by various aid organizations like Unity for Freedom, launched in part by Alexander Rekeda, an eye must be kept to the future. Forward thinking helps ensure the devastating consequences of the conflict do not delay Ukraine’s progress for generations.
Alexander Rekeda and planning for long-term needs
The consequences of armed conflict and bombings on communities are devastating. Lives, property, and a community’s pulse can be lost by destroying gathering places and local landmarks and disrupting regular routines. To fully restore a country, town, or region, long-term considerations need to address the ongoing side effects of a crisis from a physical, mental and emotional perspective at the individual and group level.
For example, traditional school buildings and services may be fully restored in a formal reconstruction phase. Still, additional consideration must be provided for the consequences of interrupted learning and receiving education under high-stress conditions. Students in Ukraine have the war as an impact on their long-term success, but it also followed a global pandemic. Ongoing economic constraints will likely follow it. Finding ways to assist in remedial and unique educational efforts at the community level is one-way long-term assistance can help fight the evolving effects of war. Alex Rekeda advises additional efforts may focus on psychological needs, rebuilding local supply chains, ensuring essential needs are still met, and boosting small businesses.
How restoration unfolds
On an international level, immediate and long-term aid focuses on restoring a country’s military and broader economic assistance. These packages are designed to help rebuild infrastructure and provide the financial resources a country needs to avoid significant damage to the economy as rebuilding unfolds. By buffering significant economic hardships, the thought is that the population will be more resilient and less likely to suffer internal turmoil in the restoration years.
While these efforts help on a broad scale, individuals may not feel the impact directly. According to Alexander Rekeda, Unity for Freedom is uniquely poised to help locally due to its reliance on people on the ground who report on essential and emerging needs. These connections provided valuable insight throughout the war and helped forge partnerships with local suppliers, organizations, and distribution networks. The same network can be utilized in rebuilding efforts to ensure all long-term needs are met, including those that may be overlooked by traditional aid agencies more focused on the big picture versus communities.
