The assistance of foreign organizations to children of the Ukrainian SSR in the first half of the 1920s

The article considers the problems of the struggle of the Soviet authorities with the famine of 1921—1923 and its consequences. It has been established that the leadership of the Ukrainian SSR followed the Kremlin’s directives in the fight against starvation and its consequences. To maintain direct contact with international organizations the Foreign Department was established at the Central Commission of Aid to the starving people; the main tasks of it were to coordinate and organize the activities of the Authorized representations of the Russian SFSR abroad, to organize the aid to the starving, to unite the activities of People’s Commissariats and central institutions working with the foreign aid to the starving, information policy and agitation for the foreign food aid and material assistance. The activities of the international organizations providing assistance to children are studied. The survey of the regions suffering from famine and the situation of the population left terrible apocalyptic pictures of the children’s situation in the memory of the members of international missions. The contribution of the International Union of Assistance to Children in the establishment of food outlets for children in the regions of Ukraine most affected by the crop failure is considered in details. The data on the establishment assistance, financial and material support of the International Union of Assistance to Children and the World Jewish Conference of Assistance to Children in orphanages, boarding schools, and maternity hospitals are given. Children’s institutions in Ukraine were supplied not only with food, but also with clothes, shoes, bed linen, detergents, the service personnel was also maintained at the expense of the international organizations. The activities of foreign charity organizations have become one of the key factors in eliminating starvation among the child population of Ukraine. Thanks to international charity organizations which have helped children to fight hunger and its effects, many deaths have been avoided.

Source: Bilokon A. (2022). The assistance of foreign organizations to children of the Ukrainian SSR in the first half of the 1920s. Zaporizhzhia Historical Review. 5(57): 70-76

Source web-site: https://istznu.org/index.php/journal/article/view/2349/2140