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U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced on May 8 to crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square, according to Vatican News.

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UK announces $31 million social recovery aid package for Ukraine

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UK announces $31 million social recovery aid package for Ukraine
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands during a bilateral meeting at 10, Downing Street on July 19, 2024 in London, England. (Benjamin Cremel/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The UK is allocating 25 million pounds ($31 million) to launch a social recovery initiative in Ukraine called the SPIRIT program, the British government announced on Feb. 8.

Announced during Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Kyiv, the program is a collaboration between the UK, Ukraine’s government, UNICEF, and the World Bank.

Through the funding, the support will “help Ukraine to meet the varied needs of the population, and accelerate Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic pathway,” the statement read.

The SPIRIT initiative will concentrate on three key priorities: expanding access to quality social services, with at least 10,000 families in ten regions benefiting; establishing an Office of Social Recovery under Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Policy to coordinate reforms and international partnerships; and launching cross-sectoral initiatives in health, economy, and social services to support vulnerable groups.

The program will also provide small grants and training for 100 civil society and local community representatives to expand service delivery and create a sustainable social support system.

With a focus on women, families with children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and veterans, SPIRIT aims to strengthen Ukraine’s institutional capacity to manage the social and economic challenges caused by the war.

“Investing in Ukraine’s social systems is an investment in Ukraine’s people - and we know that Ukraine’s people are its greatest resource,” Martin Harris, UK Ambassador to Ukraine, said of the program.

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Sonya Bandouil

North American news editor

Sonya Bandouil is a North American news editor for The Kyiv Independent. She previously worked in the fields of cybersecurity and translating, and she also edited for various journals in NYC. Sonya has a Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Houston, in Texas.

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