Pivoting your organisation’s mission in times of crisis: lessons from the Russian invasion of Ukraine

When we think about the devastating effects of war and conflict, we rightly focus on the needs of local communities.

Locally led humanitarian work is now being emphasised, and rightly so, but local organisations who hire local people are naturally impacted by the crisis themselves and will be facing all manner of issues, from economic impacts to the loss of friends and family and ongoing trauma.

In times of crisis, these organisations are often forced to pivot from their regular mandates to meet the most urgent and pressing needs of their communities. But what does this look like in reality for these organisations, and how can international partners help, not hinder, these efforts?

In my role as Head of Older People Programmes at World Jewish Relief, a UK-based humanitarian organisation that focuses on locally led development, I have overseen parts of our response to the war in Ukraine. Our presence in Ukraine dates back to the early 1990s when the country declared independence from the Soviet Union. Initially, our mandate was to support members of the Jewish community – primarily older people who had survived the Holocaust and decades of hardship.

Over time, this evolved into a broader portfolio, delivered by local partner organisations, including programmes for active ageing, dementia awareness and employment support for younger community members. We also had a mandate to repair homes in communities where aging infrastructure and limited pensions had left many living in deteriorating conditions.

Our partners were mostly social service providers, not humanitarian actors. But when Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine began, they were thrust into an entirely new reality. Overnight, our partners had to reconfigure their existing systems to address immediate life‐threatening challenges. We asked them to reflect on those first days and the lessons they have learnt from operating throughout the conflict.

The remarkable capacity of local organisations

Iryna Doroshenko, Project Manager at the Jewish Community Centre Mazal Tov in Zaporizhzhia, says that many humanitarian organisations like theirs have gone through “incredible changes” since the war began. “We had to learn new areas of work, including setting up humanitarian headquarters, organising shelters for internally displaced persons and transit accommodation. For the first time, we began to help rebuild housing destroyed by shelling, despite the risks of repeated attacks and the shortage of construction materials and expertise.”

Her experience is echoed by Elizaveta Sherstyuk, Director of Hesed Haim in Sumy: “The most frightening moment was the start of the full-scale invasion. Our region is a border region and, by 2pm on 24 February 2022, enemy tanks were marching through the streets of our city. During these first days of the war, we were in shock. Thank goodness, communication networks still operated, and we were in touch with everyone in the community at all times. There was a lack of food, medicines, and the constant shelling of the city prevented the shops and pharmacies from opening.

“For many years our organisation’s mandate was providing assistance within the Jewish community. But the war changed this. Remembering how Ukrainians saved Jews from fascism during the Second World War, often risking their lives and the lives of their children, we could not be silent to the needs of the general population during this war.”

These first-hand accounts demonstrate the remarkable capacity of local organisations to rapidly pivot. Drawing on decades of experience and strong community ties, they were forced to re-define their organisation’s role almost overnight. Their transformation included setting up emergency response units, organising shelters and transit accommodations, and even mobilising for home repairs following missile and drone damage – tasks that were once outside the scope of their traditional mandates. None of this is easy. But three years on, I continue to be astounded by the resilience and adaptability of our local partners

The role of international partners

When local organisations pivot, international partners have a role to play to support this change. That first day of the war, we provided funds up-front to partners with whom we had worked with for years – they were in the midst of the crisis and knew what was needed on the ground. We prioritised flexibility and patience, allowing our partners to adapt and respond without having to provide time-consuming written updates (many decisions took place over the phone, for example).

Beyond direct financial support, our collaboration has involved sharing technical guidance, conducting thorough due diligence, and contributing to the institutional capacity of partner organisations. Over time, we supported our partners to become familiar with and gradually incorporate elements of traditional humanitarian programming, such as understanding and meeting SPHERE standards, conducting post-distribution monitoring and cooperating with local authorities to avoid duplication with other actors. Many of our local partners struggle to navigate the UN cluster system, partly due to a lack of English, so where possible we attend on their behalf and pass on important updates.

Reflecting on the role of international players during the crisis, Iryna Doroshenko told us:
“The support of international partners, such as World Jewish Relief, has been and continues to be vital. Thanks to their flexibility and rapid response, we continue to provide assistance to tens of thousands of people, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and children.

“Despite the difficult situation in frontline Zaporizhzhia, where the needs and requirements of the target audience have become more serious, we feel the constant support of partner organisations. This allows us not only to cope with current challenges, but also to shape systemic change towards an inclusive, environmentally friendly and humanistic future of Ukraine. This experience demonstrates the importance of supporting local organisations working in the most difficult conditions and building a better future together.”

Prioritising partnership to navigate challenging times

With the recent decision to freeze all US foreign aid, including to Ukraine, and no end to the Russian invasion in sight, it can be hard to maintain optimism in this uncertain environment. Our belief and trust in local partner organisations’ decisions and capacity must continue to be steadfast so we can navigate these complex and extremely challenging times.

Providing robust and continuous financial support is critical, of course, in enabling them to reach people in their communities who the crisis has most affected. At the same time, long-term commitment, flexibility and moral support can be critical in helping partners to tackle ever-growing humanitarian needs.

As one of our partners observed: “We receive more from our partners than project funding. This is primarily [about] partnership, and moral support, training and supervision.”