Providing emergency winterization assistance to conflict-affected people to ensure warm, safe and dignified living conditions during the winter season. The escalation of conflict in February has significantly changed the scale and type of winterization needs in Ukraine compared to previous years. Unprecedented displacement across the country, destruction of housing, business assets and loss of employment has undermined the ability of many people to provide for themselves and left many families in unstable conditions. Millions of people in Ukraine live in damaged homes or buildings ill-suited to provide sufficient protection from harsh winter conditions. Winterization efforts in rural communities are even more challenging and high-cost, with materials and skills shortages, hampering self-recovery efforts.

In expectation of the potentially harsh winter, additional funds are urgently needed to prepare communities at risk and urgent fast-track interventions that will have the most effective results for vulnerable individuals and families. Winter temperature is predicted to plummet as low as –20 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country, the serious impact will be felt by millions of people living in substandard conditions or without sufficient personal insulation or access to heating.
With proper timely preparation, many lives can be saved, and vulnerable displaced and war-affected people can be supported during months of freezing temperatures.

The objective of the proposed project is to provide targeted, time-critical winterization support to conflict-affected people, including IDPs, living in sub-standard or damaged housing in Chernihivska, Dnipropetrovska and Donetska oblasts of Ukraine to ensure warm, safe and dignified living conditions during the winter season.

Within the framework of the project it is planned to implement the following activities: 
- Repair of 200 private HHs in rural areas, which includes replacement/installation of windows and doors made using energy-saving technologies, as well as repair and insulation of the roof
- Distribution of the solid fuel (preliminarily wood briquettes) to 150 privet HHs in locations where solid fuel stoves are used and access to the market is difficult or expensive
- Prepositioning and distribution of 500 heaters (electric convectors).

It is planned to reach 2,083 people with assistance, including 280 people with disabilities.

During the project implementation, there might be some challenges related to the increased escalation of hostilities, security, access to project locations, procurement and legal obstacles. In this regard, special attention will be paid to risk management. For that purpose, a detailed analysis of potential risks, indicating proposed mitigation measures have been elaborated. 

NEW WAY (NW) is planning to implement the project on its own. NW is a local NGO that continues activities started in 2016 by German NGO arche noVa. 

Over the years, NW has become a noticeable actor in the humanitarian sector, supporting the conflict-affected population through the implementation of relief projects in eastern Ukraine, and after the escalation of the conflict, the expansion of areas of activity to the north of the country. At the moment, NW is implementing projects in planned locations funded by various donors, including Aktion Deutschland Hilft, Open Society Foundation, UHF and other donors.
NW staff has expertise in the implementation of HHs rehabilitation projects, as well as fuel and heaters distribution. Similar projects have been implemented in past years with about 400 private HHs rehabilitation and distribution of more than 400 t briquettes. And being employees of arche nova, about 300 tons of coal and more than 950 convectors and boilers were issued.

There is a well-established structure as well as necessary technical and support staff in place to oversee the implementation of the project activities. There is a clear awareness of the local context as well as principles of the humanitarian response.