- The ESTDEV funded Tallinn Humanitarian Conference, organised by the Estonian Refugee Council, will take place on 5 November at Fotografiska. This year’s global conference will focus on three key themes: system reform; protecting people in data-driven humanitarian action; and the division of roles in humanitarian planning and implementation. More information and registration are available on the ERC’s website.
- With support from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we are supporting 400 families in Syria to help them meet their basic needs and cope with the consequences of a crisis that has lasted for years.
- This winter, we are providing winter heating assistance to more than 5,000 vulnerable families in front-line and hard-to-reach areas of Ukraine.
Estonian Refugee Council’s digital initiatives
We are building a network of experienced digital specialists, DigiCap, to address digitalisation challenges in the humanitarian sector and help humanitarian organisations improve the efficiency of their work in complex crisis situations. The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg.
Dignital is a practical humanitarian aid delivery platform developed by the Estonian Refugee Council. It enables organisations to manage registration, needs assessments and verification, referrals, payment preparation, monitoring, communication and reporting within a single adaptable system. Read more on the Estonian Refugee Council’s website.
HumX is a humanitarian data space, enabling different humanitarian organisations and systems to exchange data securely.
Ukraine
We provide cash assistance, which allows people affected by the war to purchase food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essentials. In September, we assisted more than 4,270 people. As of now, we have provided cash-based assistance to 350,700 conflict-affected people. Cash assistance is provided for 3–6 months. Registration 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, Kharkiv, Sumska, Dnipropetrovska, Mykolaivska, Odeska, Donetska and Khersonska oblasts. The programme is supported by the European Union, the US Government, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Estonian Refugee Council is the lead partner for the European Union and Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF) funded project, while Acted is the lead for the US Government funded consortium.
This winter, we will provide humanitarian winter assistance to more than 5,000 families in vulnerable situations across Ukraine. The programme combines cash and in-kind assistance to help families cover heating costs and secure essential supplies throughout the winter. Distributions will begin in October, with a focus on frontline and hard-to-reach areas in eastern and southern Ukraine. Intensified hostilities and widespread damage to critical infrastructure have severely constrained people's ability to prepare for and cope with the winter, increasing the risks faced by vulnerable families. The programme is supported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) through the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), as well as by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. National NGOs Union of Help to Kherson and Unity and Strength are our implementing partners for the UHF-funded project.
We support livelihood activities related to agriculture, livestock, food production, and various services through emergency assistance, with the aim of strengthening people’s self-reliance. The support amount is around 700 euros. Since February, we have shared more than 840 grants altogether. The programme is funded by the European Union and the US Government.
We run entrepreneurship programmes to help people affected by war create sustainable sources of income for themselves. We support new and existing businesses in Poltava, Cherkasy, Dnipro, Kirovohad, and Kharkiv oblasts. So far, we have distributed a total of 347 grants for both existing and new businesses. The project is developed in partnership with Acted and supported by the US Government.
Estonia
Through the Language Ladder programme, we support Ukrainian refugee youth in language learning and social integration. Based on the data collected throughout the project, we developed a practical guide for education and youth work professionals on supporting Ukrainian young people’s language learning and integration. We also compiled policy recommendations for national-level decision-makers to help improve future support in this area. In early October, we held advocacy events on the same topics in Tallinn and Jõhvi, where experts from Tallinn University also shared their insights. In late September, project partners met in Warsaw to compare the Estonian and Polish education systems and discuss challenges related to language learning. Read about the project’s activities in the final quarter and explore the summary on the Estonian Refugee Council’s website. The project is being implemented in collaboration with Tallinn University and the Polish organisation Dobra Fabryka. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
The refugee youth-led project Youth Pulse has been launched, focusing on building a community in Tartu where both young people and older residents come together. Through a range of activities, the project develops and strengthens intergenerational relationships to help newcomers adapt more easily. In September, the young people organised a successful film night, watching The Invisible Guest and discussing the characters and events afterwards. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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. In September, 133 people took part in training sessions. The most popular sessions focused on legal issues and artificial intelligence (AI). The AI sessions introduced the basics of AI and explored how modern AI tools can support everyday life and help people adapt to life in Estonia. Since 2022, more than 14,800 people have taken part in the training sessions.
We organise regular group activities and community events across Estonia. In September, a new round of the language café began in Tallinn, while the Keelerulett language learning programme continued. Activities for older people also continued, offering a safe space to socialise, share experiences and gain practical knowledge. With support from donations collected among members of the British-Estonian Chamber of Commerce, we continued organising activities that strengthen community connections and support the integration of people with a refugee background.
In cooperation with the Integration Foundation, we are giving seminars to strengthen the capacity of local governments in the fields of migration and integration. In 2026, migration-related seminars and cultural awareness training sessions were held across Estonia. The final cultural awareness training session will take place in Võru on 5 November. We have also launched practical workshops to support adaptation and integration, introducing useful digital tools and sharing case studies. The workshops will take place in October and November: Tartu – 20 October, Rakvere – 22 October, Pärnu – 17 November, Viljandi – 12 November, Tallinn – 18 November. The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Ministry of the Interior.
In cooperation with the Integration Foundation, we began organising various events across Estonia to increase the civic engagement of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international protection. The aim is to strengthen mutual understanding and trust, and to help third-country nationals cope better with everyday life and participate more actively in society. In September, we visited Aidu quarry to learn about Ida-Viru County’s industrial heritage and the impact of oil shale mining on the region’s natural environment. In the afternoon, we travelled to Toila, where we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and explored the history of Oru Palace. Project no. AMIF.1.02.23-0005 “Cooperation activities to increase the civic engagement of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international protection” is co-funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
We provide counselling by appointment at the Estonian Refugee Council office (Vambolo6, 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.
Armenia
Thanks to funding from the European Union, we have launched four community councils so people with refugee backgrounds can voice their concerns and take part in decision-making processes that affect them. In September, the Community Councils in Yerevan, Gyumri, Dilijan and Yeghegnadzor announced the next round of the programme, interviewed applicants and selected the new groups. The policy recommendations developed during the first cycle of the Yerevan group were submitted to the respective ministries. The selection of livelihood grantees for the Sevan and Goris self-help groups was completed, and 11 applicants received grants. Two new groups were formed in Vayk and Ashtarak. The programme is funded by the European Union.
We aim to strengthen Armenia’s green business ecosystem and promote circular economy principles through non-formal entrepreneurship education in public schools. In September, the pilot implementation of the “Agrobusiness” extracurricular group was launched in six schools across the Lori and Tavush regions. The module includes an interactive educational game that introduces children to how agriculture works. The programme is funded by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development.
We kicked off a new project contributing to women’s participation in decision-making, gender-responsive climate adaptation, environmental governance, disaster risk reduction, economic empowerment, and strengthening the resilience of border communities. In September we recruited participants in both Sisian and Ijevan communities, and prepared them for the capacity building sessions planned for October. This project is funded with UK International Development from the UK government and is implemented by Estonian Refugee Council within the framework of the Building Resilience in the Eastern Neighbourhood programme, carried out by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR).
Occupied Palestinian territory
The Estonian Refugee Council established an official presence in the occupied Palestinian territory to expand its humanitarian and livelihoods programmes in both Gaza and the West Bank, with a focus on cash assistance and supporting people to rebuild their livelihoods. Read more on the ERC website.
Sudan
The Estonian Refugee Council began operations in hard-to-reach areas of Central and South Darfur, providing cash assistance to conflict-affected families and establishing safe referral pathways to protection and other essential services. In the first phase, we aim to reach around 270 families, or 2,700 people. Read more on the ERC website. The project is implemented in cooperation with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and local partners and is supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).
Syria
By the end of this year, we are providing cash based humanitarian aid to 400 families in the Babella area of Syria to help them meet their basic needs and cope with the consequences of a crisis that has lasted for years. Read more on the Estonian Refugee Council’s website. The project is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.