16. Mar. 2022
The Grundfos Foundation releases 3 x 5m DKK to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), DRC Danish Refugee Council, and Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF) to help refugees in and around Ukraine and in Denmark. An additional 5m DKK is made available to local Grundfos companies for emergency relief via the Poul Due Jensen Community Engagement Grant.

UPDATE: on 29 May, an additional 5m DKK have been granted toward purchasing entrepreneurial machines to rebuild Ukraine. More (in Danish).

On 4 March, the Foundation pledged that it would support relief efforts connected to the war in Ukraine with at least 15m DKK. At the board meeting on 14 March, the Foundation decided to award three grants of each 5m DKK to the organisations below.

The decision means direct and immediate aid to meet actual needs on the ground.

“These are trust-based donations without demands for reporting. The money should be put to work immediately,” says Executive Director Kim Nøhr Skibsted.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

5m DKK will contribute to scale up Médecins Sans Frontières’ medical and humanitarian response, based on where we see the greatest need and the best opportunity for our assistance to have a significant impact.

“As hospitals in Eastern Ukraine become overwhelmed with increasing numbers of trauma patients, injured in the war, supplies are dwindling. And we don’t know how long it will be before Kyiv and other cities may be cut off. Our main efforts for now are on getting the right medical supplies to where they are needed, in large volumes, and as rapidly as humanly possible. We are also training hospital staff in areas at risk of attack and siege to deal with mass casualties and sending teams of nurses, doctors and surgeons as well as mobile clinics across the border. We are also present in the neighbouring countries.“
Malin Palmér, General Director, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Denmark

Find out more about MSF’s response in Ukraine (MSF.org)

DRC Danish Refugee Council

DRC is one of the largest and most experienced international NGOs responding to multiple crisis globally, with expertise in numerous humanitarian sectors and operational modalities. Operating within Ukraine since 1998 with over 200 staff, DRC is currently scaling up its operation in Ukraine to deliver lifesaving assistance and emergency response to the many people affected by the conflict.

With 5m DKK to DRC, we are supporting key activities such as:

  • Ukraine: Protection, Multi-purpose emergency cash, Food and Non-Food items, Emergency shelter, Psycho-Social Support, Legal aid, Mobile outreach, Emergency Explosive Ordnance, Risk Education, Marking of Contaminated Areas
  • Neighbouring countries (Romania, Moldova, Poland): Protection, Multi-purpose emergency cash, Food and Non-Food Items, Emergency shelter, Camp Coordination and Camp Management, Host-family Support, Mobile Cross-Border Response
  • Wider Europe: Protection, Food and Non-Food Items, Emergency Shelter, Legal aid, Counselling, Technical Assistance, Support to Volunteer and Diaspora Groups
  • Denmark: Legal aid, Counselling, Technical Assistance, Support to Volunteer and Diaspora Groups

Find out more about DRC’s response (DRC.ngo)

Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF)

To help refugees in  in Denmark, the Foundation supports DIF’s programme get2sport with 5m DKk to ensure that refugees and their children staying in Denmark can participate in sports activities. The Foundation has asked that the opportunity is open to all refugees residing in Denmark and not only those arriving from Ukraine.

“Via DIF get2sport we have a lot of experience helping sports clubs and associations welcome refugees into the sports communityThe support from the Grundfos Foundation means that we can immediately start our work to secure that especially the children are given a safe spave in an otherwise very traumatising situation.“
Hans Natorp, President, DIF

16-year-old Alina is a trampoline coach in Copenhagen from Grundfos Foundation | PDJF on Vimeo.

Local aid via Grundfos companies

An additional 5m DKK is made available to Grundfos companies in the neighbouring countries for local emergency relief via the Poul Due Jensen Community Engagement Grant. These funds will support local churches, associations and organisations providing assistance to the refugees from Ukraine.

The Foundation has also joined the Humanitarian Contact Forum (DA) under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stay updated on the situation.