Volunteer and IDP from Donetsk Nataliya Omelchenko told readers of the Informator.lg.ua, how her family faced fake volunteers and how swindlers make a profit out of homeless IDPs, she also shared her thoughts about ways to solve IDPs’ housing issue.

Part II. Look for the first Part here.

Beware, frauds!

There are many fake “public organization” and “charity foundations”, which make profit out of IDP’s problems with housing. Self-administration bodies provide such organizations with different empty premises and land plots for IDPs’ accommodation. At first, a few families of IDPs settle there, live there for some time and then – are thrown away to street and premises are used for commercial activity. Those frauds often ask international organizations for money to make those premises comfortable. They make a list of IDPs’ personal data, present it to public authorities, to such organizations as UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), International Migration Organization and try to raise funds. For the moment we know about 3 such organizations. Numerous requests against one of those fake organizations were sent to SCU and Prosecutor’s Office, but it keeps working. Unfortunately, my family became a victim of such fake foundation too.

One Kiev public organization showed us premises allocated for IDPs, we guaranteed donors – UNHCR – that this organization really helps IDPs. Two times we got products. UNHCR brought beds, wardrobes and other furniture there. And when we gave all guarantees – this organization stopped any contacts with us. At first, they said that the process was dragged on, and then they said that all places were taken.

Two other similar structures actively get empty buildings of housing stock and non-residential. We got calls from people, who were thrown away from such places and even lost their valuables. People submitted many complaints about that structure, but it still works, because their work is supported by some deputies and officials.

One direction of our public initiative – is legal help to people, who faced such fraud.

Active position

In May 2014 we established our Public Initiative “Active Civic Position”. Our prime goal is to inform people about their rights; possibilities of evacuation from the zone of military conflict; changes in legislation; places, where people can get humanitarian aid; programs for children on summer holidays – information important for all IDPs. In January-February during serious combats we started a Project “Save children”, within which we were looking for temporary housing for mothers and their children from Donbass.

Our second goal – is medical and legal aid. People can address us or our partners from Law Board “Omega-Verdict” and get legal consultation – we provide it for free for those, who cannot afford to pay for our help. We tell people with simple questions to address other public organizations, where lawyers get payments from grants. In case if those organizations cannot solve problem, we don’t refuse to help. We and our partners work for free – spend our own money and time. The same is about medical services. Me and my husband are doctors. I’m a gynaecologist – endocrinologist and my husband is andrologist – endocrinologist. We have standard price for consultations, but we help IDPs, who cannot afford to pay, for free. We don’t have discounts. People pay or get our consultations for free.

Third direction of our work is humanitarian aid. People bring clothes, meds, food and we distribute it to those, who really need it.

Our Facebook page has more than 6000 followers. We work without grants or membership fees for a year now. We don’t even have any bank accounts.

Control over housing to IDPs’ hands

Fourth and main direction of our work – human rights work. Now it’s a problem of permanent housing and realization of right to land – according to the Land Code. We addressed Ministry of Social Politics, Ministry of regional Development and Building with an offer to realize IDP’s rights for permanent housing without budget costs. We have many propositions. We revealed many empty premises of housing stock and non-residential in Kiev, which could be provided to IDPs for living. We checked who own those premises and found out that they are in community property.

Kievrada made a decision on allocation of empty premises to IDPs in winter. We discussed this question with Ministries and Mayor of the Kiev city. Vitaliy Klichko promised to support this initiative. We suggested also to organize coordination councils under all public institutions involved. Those councils will coordinate efforts of authorities in realization of our rights. Now we are finishing development of regulations on such councils and different normative documents. We suggest to include IDPs to such coordination bodies. Public organizations all around Ukraine also have to initiate such process. That is why we call all IDPs to involve and take up active civic position!

Prepared by Denis Matsola for the Informator.lg.ua