As of beginning of 2024 the humanitarian mission of the organization in Ukraine has been completed and Ukrainian based operations terminated. We would like to thank all the donators for the support and help!
The Ukraine Equestrian Charity Foundation (UE-CF) was registered in Belgium on the 28th of February 2022 and its mission was to help the Ukrainian equestrian community during the war.
The aim of the UE-CF was to provide the Ukrainian equestrian community with technical assistance and services to protect and improve welfare of horses and to save, recover and develop the horse industry in Ukraine, including equestrian sports and other horse industry domains.
Services in Ukraine
S1: Distribution and delivery of the emergency humanitarian aid (horse feed and bedding) to stables in Ukraine – COMPLETED IN MAY 2023
S2: Relocation of horses from potentially dangerous and/or liberated regions to safer regions in Ukraine – COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER 2022
S3: Operating evacuation shelter stables in Ukraine – SHELTER OPERATED UNTIL JULY 2023
S4: Coordination of veterinary initiatives to deliver veterinary supplies and provide veterinary services to Ukrainian equines – COMPLETED
S5: IT solutions for aid request collection, stabling and relocations – DELIVERED
S6: Engagement of stakeholders to strategic planning and foresight activities for longer term development planning – ON HOLD
Objectives
For the period of 2022 – 2023, three objectives have been set specifying the primary focus of the UE-CF and how the success will be measured. The midterm direction of work was to keep horses safe in Ukraine. To accomplish this, we focused our efforts on engaging supporters and donators. Thanks to the support from our partners and donators we managed to delivered help to horses during the the winter period 2022/23, when the demand for humanitarian aid and services increased significantly. The third objective – to lay down a strong foundation for building back better of the Ukrainian horse industry -, is a long-term strategic objective that would enable us to draft and support implement of a long term development plan for Ukraine´s horse industry, including investments into infrastructure and unleashing the full potential of Ukraine´s breeders and athletes on international stage.
Objective 1: increase the overall impact and outreach of emergency humanitarian aid and other actions in Ukraine
Beneficiaries: horses through aid to horse owners, veterinarians, stable owners and operators, riding clubs and other horse industry establishments dealing with horses
Objective 1 has been achieved through provision of direct services – S1, S2, S3 and S4, supported by S5.
Key results for objective 1
S1: Distribution and delivery of the emergency humanitarian aid (horse feed and bedding) to stables in Ukraine
KR1.1. Emergency humanitarian aid: increase outreach of delivery of humanitarian aid to 200 stables and clubs by the end of Q3
KR1.2. Establish a system and ensure funding to produce compound feed for distribution in Ukraine
KR1.3. Map situation with supply of hay and haylage in Ukraine by the middle of August. Prepare emergency plan to help stables with hay / haylage.
Operator: UE-CF humanitarian aid logistics team, volunteers from ESU and UHU.
Partners: donators of feed, local feed producers, local transportation companies.
Needs: up to 200 tonnes of aid monthly, including feed and bedding as well as some specific aid, i.e. stable equipment, supplements.
See also how the process of distribution and delivery is arranged.
S2: Relocation of horses from potentially dangerous and/or liberated regions to safer regions in Ukraine
KR1.4. Fulfill 80% of requests for horses´ relocation from potentially dangerous and/or liberated regions to safer regions in Ukraine by end of Q3
KR1.5. Establish a system of individual fundraising campaigns for each relocation request. Launch first fundraisers in July 2022.
Operator: UE-CF evacuations manager, volunteers from ESU, UHU and EquiHelp.
Partners: local horse transportation companies, international horse transportation companies, donators through fundraisers.
Needs: funds for horse transportation
See also how the process of horses evacuation is arranged.
S3: Operating evacuation shelter stables in Ukraine
KR1.6. Operate 180 evacuation shelter boxes in at least 3 locations by end of Q3; establish agreements with institutional donators for longer-term support of shelter stabling by end of Q3 (for the autumn/winter period of 2022/23)
Operator: UE-CF stable managers in Lviv and Rivno (third location tbc), evacuations manager, volunteers.
Partners: stable owners – providers of stable facilities and infrastructure; FEI – temporary stable boxes (40+80 boxes); donators supporting stables’ operations.
Collaboration and links: horses´ evacuation, veterinary help, feed donations, distribution and delivery.
S4: Coordination of veterinary initiatives to deliver veterinary supplies and provide veterinary services to Ukrainian equines
KR1.7. Continue monitoring situation with horses´ welfare and mapping of the equine veterinarians´ needs. Report results of mapping by the end of August 2022.
KR1.8. Start distributing veterinary supplies donated by US Equestrian and FEI Solidarity in July 2022 and facilitate launching a professional veterinarians mission to Ukraine by end of Q3
Operator: UE-CF veterinary team manager, appointed FEI treating veterinarians, UE-CF humanitarian aid logistics team
Partners: veterinarians in Ukraine, horse welfare organizations and charities, including (NB! negotiations ongoing) Blue Cross, Worldwide Vets, World Horse Welfare, House of Animals, BEVA, ISELP, AOL, AAEP, US donators through FEI Solidarity.
Needs: veterinary supplies, including for professional use, portable ambulances with x-rays and other diagnostic and treatment equipment and express lab, technical assistance and provision of services (vet missions to Ukraine).
Objective 2: engage supporters and keep them actively donating and helping Ukrainian equestrian community and horses
Target groups: supporters and potential supporters, people and organizations involved in horse industry activities, including sports, hobby activities, breeding, horse welfare affairs etc.
Beneficiaries: horses through aid to horse owners, veterinarians, stable owners and operators, riding clubs and other horse industry establishments dealing with horses in Ukraine.
Fulfillment of this objective is crucial to raise funds to deliver services in Ukraine.
Objective 2 will be achieved through global actions A1-A4.
Key results for objective 2
KR2.1. Launch Ride for Ukraine fundraising campaign
KR2.2. Launch regular meetings with key supporters, including FEI, EEF, World Horse Welfare to align and coordinate efforts
KR2.3. Produce performance reviews to highlight organization’s activities and provision of services
KR2.4. Produce regular statements on the needs and briefing on the situation with equines in Ukraine
KR2.5. Add “what we need” section to website and update it weekly
KR2.6. Update information in social media channels
KR2.7. Engage journalists from the 10 largest horse industry media to raise awareness on the situation with horses’ welfare and needs for help among the readers and followers of the traditional media
Operator: UE-CF PR team, IT team, campaign team, volunteers
Partners: tbd
Needs: partnerships and resources to develop and launch Ride for Ukraine campaign
Objective 3: lay down a strong foundation for building back better of the Ukrainian horse industry
Beneficiaries: Ukrainian institutions from non-profit and for-profit sectors involved in the horse industry. Indirectly: horse owners, riders, professionals.
Objective 3 will be achieved through S6: engagement of stakeholders to strategic planning and foresight activities for longer term development planning.
Key results for objective 3
KR3.1. Finalize and present results of the focus groups’ interviews with Ukrainian stakeholders – completed
KR3.2. Design collaborative long term strategy process and structure – make preparations for draft project proposal for donators to support the initiative
KR3.3. Investigate possibilities for data collection for horse industry business case supporting the recovery and development phase by end of Q3
KR3.4. Ensure quarterly check-ins with horse industry leaders and stakeholders on the development of the long term strategy
KR3.5. Work together with FEI and other supporters to ensure the Ukrainian representation in the European championships in 2022
Operator: long term planning team
Partners: work group on long term recovery and development strategy, stakeholders and experts, FEI, EEF, governmental agencies and policymakers (tbc)
Needs: leadership and change management trainings for the planning team and core partners in Ukraine, consultancy and technical assistance, support to research and development activities etc
Ukrainian Equestrian Charity Foundation 