The numbers of refugees, which has risen very quickly after the start of the Russian war of aggression waged against Ukraine, is now being mirrored by an equally fast-growing willingness in Germany to help on the part of numerous initiatives, institutions, cities and municipalities, the state and the federal government. In the medium term, this support is also going to be necessary if – in the worst-case scenario – this war continues to rage for many months. Against this backdrop, the non-profit Sto Foundation has decided to develop effective and practically viable long-term support projects for the Ukrainian population and to primarily focus these efforts on the fields of architecture and crafts. The express wish is to engage in cooperation with initiatives and aid organisations that already boast the relevant expertise and networks.
This could be any form of support that benefits Ukrainian citizens as a whole, as well as sub-groups - i.e. families, individuals, young children, schoolchildren, the elderly or the disabled. This support can take place in Ukraine itself, in neighbouring countries or in other countries or places of arrival for refugees who are directly or indirectly affected by the crisis. Projects for the specific care of individual sub-groups are conceivable, as are the joint planning and construction of temporary accommodation, transitory forms of housing, leisure, learning or retreat spaces, to name just some examples.
Also conceivable are the design and construction of meeting centres to help with the integration of Ukrainian citizens alongside the resident population of Germany or other countries of the EU.
The aim of the Sto Foundation with this project funding is to create a humane framework within which an appropriate standard of long-term living, housing, learning and working conditions can be created for citizens from Ukraine.
The Sto Foundation is doing more than simply contributing a total funding of €100,000. It also has broad experience in the design and construction of non-profit buildings through its student-based DesignBuild projects worldwide. Through its annual funding of €1 million, the Sto Foundation has for many years provided support, primarily for the next generation of craftspeople in the finishing trades as well as for students of architecture. Through the interaction of these two groups, purpose-built buildings committed to social welfare have been constructed in numerous DesignBuild projects.
Project ideas can be submitted under the heading of "Ukraine Aid Sto Foundation" up until 31 June, 2022 by logging into www.sto-stiftung.de/ukraine.