Since the beginning of the war, with the support of the Society Integration Foundation (the Foundation), 15,324 Ukrainian civilians have learned the Latvian language, and more than 31,000 people have participated in cultural orientation courses and events. Overall, the Foundation has also provided consultative and practical support, distributing food aid packages, issuing “Honorary Family” certificates, and offering psychologist, interpreter, and legal services, among others.

To support Ukrainian civilians who have chosen Latvia as their home and to facilitate their integration, the Foundation continues to provide large-scale support programs for Ukrainian civilians. The information call center “Help for Ukrainians in Latvia” has received a total of 85,606 calls, and the One-Stop Agency (Agency) has provided support to 4,216 clients from Ukraine, which constitutes 65% of the total number of clients.

“By helping Ukrainian civilians in Latvia, we are not only providing shelter to those fleeing the war but also affirming our humanity, solidarity, and belief in justice. Their struggle is also our struggle – for freedom, peace, and a safer world. We cannot turn our backs on those for whom our support is a matter of life and hope. We must do everything so that these people not only feel good here and fall in love with our society, culture, and language but also integrate successfully into the labor market and education system. Moreover, the potential of incoming specialists, who are much needed in several fields in Latvia, must be utilized,” says Inese Kalvāne, Director of the Secretariat of the Society Integration Foundation.

 

To provide essential information on support opportunities for Ukrainian civilians, on March 2, 2022, the Foundation launched a unified information hotline “Help for Ukrainians in Latvia” – 27 380 380, which is still in operation today.

On January 2, 2023, the One-Stop Agency (OSA) for newcomers in Latvia also started its work, offering individual support to all third-country nationals, including Ukrainian civilians. OSA provides free services, including psychological support for adults, children, and families, legal consultations, and written and oral translations. Ukrainian civilians most often approach OSA consultants with practical questions about life in Latvia, access to e-services, employment opportunities and rights, and Latvian language learning opportunities.

Since spring 2022, the Foundation has implemented the program “Latvian Language Courses for Ukrainian Civilians” with a total funding of €8.3 million. Over three years, 15,324 people attended the language courses, with 11,317 participants successfully completing them. Free Latvian language classes have been available across all regions of Latvia – in-person, remotely, and in a hybrid format. It is planned that in 2025, up to 6,375 people could attend free Latvian language courses with the available funding of €3.6 million.

Through provided funding to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Foundation specifically helps promote the engagement of Latvian civil society, advocacy, and other civic activities to coordinate support and assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees. By the summer of 2024, 166 projects have been supported with a total funding of €4.8 million. This year, additional support is planned with an extra €235,000.

In 2023, the program “Cultural Orientation Courses and Integration Events for Ukrainian Civilians” was launched, supporting 78 projects with total funding of €4.6 million, involving 31,297 Ukrainians. The projects included cultural orientation courses across all regions of Latvia, as well as events and other activities promoting integration of Ukrainian civilians into Latvian society and fostering cooperation between Ukrainian civilians and the host community. Approved projects involved cooperation and cohesion events, discussion and language clubs, entrepreneurship workshops, educational excursions to Latvian landmarks – all aiming to promote integration in Latvia.

Under the European Aid Fund for the Most Deprived Persons and the European Social Fund Plus program to reduce material deprivation, food and basic material support packages have been distributed to Ukrainian civilians through partner organizations. Since March 2022, a total of 293,437 support packages have been issued. Packages are available at more than 400 distribution points across Latvia, and hot meals can be received at 27 soup kitchens.

The Honorary Family discount cards issued by the Foundation, offering discounts on goods and services from 631 companies and state institutions across Latvia, are also available to large families from Ukraine, emergency guardian families caring for Ukrainian children, and families caring for a child with a disability or a young adult up to 24 years old with Group I or II disability status. In total, 452 certificates have been issued.

The Foundation expresses its sincere gratitude to everyone who has participated in supporting Ukrainian civilians in Latvia — together until victory!