• The Estonian Refugee Council is opening a representative office in Syria to support people affected by the civil war and contribute to the country's reconstruction.
• The third season of the Empowering Women entrepreneurship programme has concluded in Estonia. Estonian Refugee Council supported 14 teams with participants with a refugee background.
• In the Tavush region of Armenia, construction has begun on three hydroponic greenhouses. These aim to help alleviate water shortages, support climate resilience, and provide environmental education for children, using water- and energy-efficient agricultural solutions developed in Estonia.
• We are launching a new programme in Georgia to strengthen local non-profit organisations and civil society groups.
• In Jordan, we are supporting vulnerable families, particularly those headed by women. We are training both local women and women with a refugee background from Syria to grow food for their families in hydroponic greenhouses. 

Ukraine

We provide cash-based assistance, which allows people affected by the war to purchase food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essentials. As of now, we have provided cash-based assistance to more than 300,000 conflict-affected people, worth more than 55 million euros. Cash assistance is provided for three months, with the support of 3600 Ukrainian hryvnias per household member per month, equivalent to about 80 euros. Registration for assistance is carried out through Estonian Refugee Council's local registration points or via the online application platform. Currently, our focus is on assisting those in need in frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, and Kherson oblasts. The programme is funded by the European Union where Acted is the lead partner.

We are continuing the emergency livelihood assistance programme in the conflict-affected regions of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk, with the aim of strengthening people’s ability to support themselves independently. Within the programme, we support activities related to agriculture, livestock, food production, and various services. The support provided amounts to approximately 700 euros. The programme is funded by the European Union and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Estonia

The third season of the Empowering Women entrepreneurship programme concluded in March. A total of 26 teams took part in the final event, including four teams with participants from refugee backgrounds. Altogether, we supported 14 refugee-background teams as part of the programme. The programme is co-financed by Swedbank, Garage48, the Estonian Refugee Council, the Estonian Association of Business and Professional Women, OBJEKT, and the European Union.

In collaboration with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, we are implementing an employability programme supporting the competitiveness of people with a refugee background in business and the labour market through the learning of artificial intelligence. Registration started in March for the Start Smart training programme, sessions are set to start in April. The programme is funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

Entrepreneurship programme Boost, helping participants with refugee backgrounds develop or relaunch their businesses is ongoing. The programme is supported by Wise. 

We are running the Edge Up employability programme, aimed at people with a refugee background who wish to enter the job market or move on to a more suitable position. So far, ten groups have completed the programme in Estonia and Latvia each. In Latvia we have partnered up with a local organisation Shelter Safe House. Each month, 10–12 people participate in the training. Registration for the programme is open. The employability programme is funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

We conduct monthly adaptation support training sessions on various subjects, including use of e-services, parenting, education system, adaptation of pensioners, legal matters, entrepreneurship, medical and social system, labour market, as well as legal foundations and residence permits. The training sessions take place across Estonia, both in face-to-face and online formats. In March, 336 people participated in the training sessions. Since 2022, a total of over 10,700 people have taken part in these trainings. Due to the high level of interest, we started offering training sessions introducing opportunities for learning Estonian.

We provide counselling by appointment at the Estonian Refugee Council office (Vambola 6, Tallinn) every day from 10 am to 5 pm. Our information hotline is open to all refugees, as well as institutions and individuals assisting them, at +372 5881 1311 (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm), and via email at counselling@pagulasabi.ee. Additionally, counselling services are available on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram at +372 5464 0007.

We organise regular group activities and community events across Estonia. In March, more than 350 people took part in community activities across Estonia. Several community events were held to support language learning, youth engagement, and community integration. For example, a joint theatre workshop for young people and the elderly was held in Tallinn, and a cultural morning for seniors from South-East Estonia was organised at the Karilatsi Museum. Community activities are supported by UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency.

Armenia 

In Armenia, we are establishing hydroponic greenhouses at three schools in the Tavush region and helping to implement water- and energy-efficient agricultural solutions developed in Estonia. Through this programme, we support schools in adapting to climate change and ensuring food security in water-scarce conditions. The programme also promotes environmental education for children and increases student engagement with agricultural and environmental topics. Construction of the hydroponic greenhouses began in March. The programme is financed by the Ministry of Climate from international cooperation funds. 

Thanks to funding from the European Union, we are launching four community councils in Armenia to ensure that people from refugee backgrounds can voice their concerns, advocate for solutions to their problems, and take part in decision-making processes that affect them. Similar community councils amplifying the voices of refugee-background individuals have already been established in both Estonia and Georgia. In addition, we are running self-help groups to support the mental well-being of people with refugee backgrounds. In March, the first two self-help groups were established in Artashat and Gyumri. The group facilitators completed a two-day training, and the groups will begin meeting in April. The programme is funded by the European Union.

Georgia 

In Georgia, we are launching a new programme to empower civil society organisations to strengthen local NGOs and CSOs by enhancing their ability to navigate regulatory challenges, secure funding, and foster collaboration across different regions. The programme is funded by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development. 

We continue supporting Ukrainian refugees in Georgia through multi-purpose cash assistance. We help Ukrainian refugee households to cope better with daily life. The one-off support amounts to 265 lari per person, capped at a maximum of three household members (approximately 93 euros). The programme is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jordan

In Jordan, we support the self-sufficiency of vulnerable female-headed households through smart and climate-friendly agricultural practices. In March we developed hydroponic training materials for trainers and held training sessions for ten participants who will facilitate hydroponic training sessions for 40 local women. Additionally, we ensured the final training materials will be also adopted by the Agriculture Ministry departments to facilitate future sessions. 

12 out of 40 women will receive startup grants in the form of fully constructed hydroponic greenhouses, enabling them to secure food for their families and generate income through produce sales. The project also extends its reach to four female-led community organisations, providing them with hydroponics training to promote water-efficient agricultural methods across the region. The activities of the Estonian Refugee Council in Jordan are supported by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development.

Syria 

Estonian Refugee Council will be opening a representative office in Syria in the coming months to begin operations aimed at supporting people affected by the civil war and contributing to the country's reconstruction. The Estonian Refugee Council has been involved in regional support for Syria since 2018 and has also worked to promote the long-term self-sufficiency of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.