In June 2023, Yuri Milner’s Tech For Refugees announced a new partnership with UNICEF USA. The non-profit initiative will work with the United Nations Children’s Fund to bring important educational aid to Ukrainian children.
Israeli billionaire Yuri Milner is a prolific philanthropist who has co-founded projects like the Breakthrough Prize. He and his wife Julia are members of Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates’ Giving Pledge. The Milners’ Giving Pledge focuses primarily on investing in humanity’s shared future through science.
UNICEF Addresses Educational Challenges in Ukraine
Currently, many regions in Ukraine are facing critical educational challenges. More than 3,000 educational institutions in Ukraine have suffered damage or destruction since the onset of the war in February 2022.
Moreover, around 20% of Ukraine’s children are internally displaced. This means they have fled their homes but not crossed an international border to seek safety.
To address the country’s educational crisis, UNICEF is collaborating with local authorities and communities throughout Ukraine to ensure safe, inclusive access to education for all children.
In response to the announcement, UNICEF USA CEO Michael Nyenhuis tweeted: “Ukraine’s children have lost so much — including, for many, their access to education.”
Nyenhuis added that the partnership between UNICEF USA and Tech For Refugees will “bring critical educational assistance” to Ukraine’s children and “protect their futures.”
UNICEF USA’s Chief Philanthropy Officer V. Renée Cutting said the organization is “immensely grateful for the support and partnership” of Tech For Refugees. She emphasized that the collaboration will “help UNICEF reach children whose education has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine, ensuring they don’t fall further behind.”
UNICEF’s Work in Ukraine
Founded in 1946 following World War II to support European refugees, UNICEF now operates in more than 190 countries and territories. The organization’s mission is to help save and improve the lives of children everywhere. Yuri Milner has called UNICEF’s worldwide efforts for refugees “invaluable.”
Advancing UNICEF’s global mission, UNICEF USA rallies the U.S. public to support vulnerable children worldwide. Many have rated UNICEF USA as one of the best charities to donate to: Less than 4% of each dollar donated to the organization goes towards administrative costs.
Since 1997, UNICEF has supported vulnerable children and families in Ukraine. When conflict flared up in the eastern region of Ukraine in 2014, UNICEF expanded and extended its work. The organization deployed a full emergency response as the war escalated in 2022.
UNICEF is currently on the ground in Ukraine meeting critical needs for safe water, nutrition, and healthcare. The organization is safeguarding children’s long-term well-being and rights. UNICEF is also working to fortify essential services and critical systems.
So far, UNICEF’s humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine has resulted in:
- More than 1.8 million children returning to learning, either in a school or an informal setting.
- Approximately 6.8 million women and children in Ukraine accessing primary healthcare.
- Approximately 3.5 million children and caregivers accessing mental health and psychosocial support services.
- UNICEF-supported gender-based violence prevention, risk mitigation, and response services reaching more than 236,000 women and children.
Tech For Refugees’ Partners and Programs
UNICEF USA is one of several partners participating in Tech For Refugees. Yuri Milner’s tech-centered non-profit works with several other partners, including:
- org.
- org.
- US.
- The International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Airbnb.org, Flexport.org, and Spotify
Airbnb.org, Flexport.org, and Spotify were Tech For Refugees’ inaugural technology partners when the initiative began in 2022.
Airbnb.org is the non-profit branch of Airbnb, the global holiday property rental company. Meanwhile, Flexport.org is the impact arm of Flexport, a supply chain management corporation. And many know Spotify as the world’s most popular music and audio streaming service.
The three organizations work with Tech For Refugees to support Ukrainian refugees. Thanks to an initial commitment of $100 million from Yuri Milner’s initiative, the program provides:
- Shelter and hosting through Airbnb.org. The organization has offered free, short-term housing to up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.
- Logistics and deliveries through Flexport.org. To date, Flexport.org has delivered more than 880,000 lbs of essential aid to Ukrainian refugees. Tech For Refugees and Flexport.org also operate programs that support people in Pakistan and the Horn of Africa.
- Entertainment through Spotify. Ukrainian refugees have the option to access Spotify Premium for free. The company will also embark on a separate, multi-year effort to support the healing of children impacted by war through the power of music and audio.
NeedsMap And Uber
Known as a leading transportation company offering taxi and food delivery services, Uber is on a mission to create opportunity through movement. By transforming how people, food, and items travel through urban environments, Uber’s platform has opened the world up to new possibilities.
NeedsMap is a non-profit social cooperative based in Turkey. The cooperative has created a map-based, data-matching platform that connects those in need with those who want to help via in-kind transfers.
Called “the sharing point of Turkey,” the voluntary web platform operates through a framework of non-monetary contributions. Anyone can add a need to the system or offer support from across Turkey. To date, the NeedsMap system has facilitated the support of more than 10 million needs.
In May 2023, Tech For Refugees announced a new collaboration with Uber and NeedsMap. The program addresses the transportation needs of those impacted by the February 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
The Tech For Refugees scheme has provided a grant for NeedsMap users in the affected area to buy Uber ride credits. In turn, Uber will cover all fees and support costs for the rides, with local drivers receiving any payments.
The initiative operates in a region where the earthquake caused particular devastation, including the following 11 cities:
- Adıyaman.
- Diyarbakır.
- Elazığ.
- Kahramanmaraş.
- Şanlıurfa.
Welcome.US
Welcome.US unites, inspires, and empowers U.S. citizens in their efforts to support people seeking refuge in the U.S. The initiative began by focusing on Afghan refugees evacuated to the U.S. after the fall of Kabul in 2021.
Welcome.US has a core objective: to harness widespread public support. Leveraging this support, the organization builds sustainable capacity and establishes formal commitments to embrace all newcomers.
Welcome.US serves as the centralized point of entry for people who wish to provide support to those embarking on new lives in the U.S. The organization achieves this through collaborations with:
- Local and national resettlement agencies.
- Community organizations and leaders.
- Community sponsorship groups.
- Non-profits and businesses.
- Faith-based institutions.
The organization also has the collective endorsement of four former presidents and four former first ladies.
Tech For Refugees supported Welcome.US in developing its innovative platform Welcome Connect. Welcome.US announced the new platform on World Refugee Day 2022.
The International Rescue Committee
Established in 1933, upon the urging of Albert Einstein, the IRC assists individuals affected by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. The organization:
- Delivers vital healthcare.
- Helps children learn.
- Empowers individuals and communities to achieve self-reliance, with an emphasis on addressing the specific needs of women and girls.
During the 20th century, the IRC’s initial goal was to provide refuge to those fleeing violence and persecution in Europe and help them find safety in the U.S. Today, the IRC operates in more than 40 crisis-affected countries and creates sustainable change for the communities the organization serves.
The IRC also supports the integration of refugees and other vulnerable populations into new societies across European and American cities.
In February 2023, Tech For Refugees made a three-year financial commitment to enable the expansion of the IRC’s “Signpost” platform. “Signpost” is the first scalable community-driven information platform. Tech For Refugees’ donation should help drive Signpost’s adoption in 10 locations worldwide.
Learn more about Tech For Refugees’ partner programs.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is an entrepreneur, investor, and former scientist whose investments focus on internet technology and science philanthropy. His Breakthrough Foundation funds various charitable projects, including Tech For Refugees and the Breakthrough Prize.
Along with Sergey Brin, Anne Wojcicki, Mark Zuckerberg, and Priscilla Chan, Julia and Yuri Milner founded the Breakthrough Prize in 2012. The world’s largest scientific award, the Breakthrough Prize honors important achievements in math, fundamental physics, and the life sciences.
In the same year that they launched the Breakthrough Prize, the Milners became Giving Pledge signatories. Many other billionaires, such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, have also joined the Giving Pledge.
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