ReliefWeb

Context

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth week, civilians continue to suffer the devastating consequences of the violence. Data from IMPACT, OCHA, ECHO, and ACAPS indicated that at humanitarian corridors for civilians, artillery and missile strikes have continued and are increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure, leading to over 3.7 million Ukrainians choosing to flee across the borders in neighbor countries.

According to the latest figures, over 2.5 million people had crossed into Poland as of April 5th. This number constitutes about 60 percent of all the people who fled Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. Displaced people who cannot afford rent and did not have someone to host them are finding shelter in collective centers across Ukraine. Frontline responders and volunteers are coordinating and implementing the delivery of assistance at the borders and in the major cities, including Warsaw, by providing not only shelter by also food, healthcare assistance, and protection/legal information upon need. In spite of the heavy presence of UNHCR in Poland, all humanitarian actors are calling for long-term coordination and assistance, as 44 percent of the refugees reported preferring to stay in Poland and wait to be able to return to Ukraine upon security improvement and conditions of their properties.

Rationale

In order to select the most appropriate modality of assistance and delivery mechanism to distribute assistance, Mercy Corps conducted a Rapid Market Assessment in Warsaw, in light of future distributions in the area.

The aim of this rapid assessment was to gather evidence on the availability and price of basic commodities, the local supply chains, payment modalities accepted, adaptation measures traders are planning to absorb the shock of the refugees’ influx, and the broader market dynamics in the area.