Ukraine Welcome Text

Seb Hill – Executive Creative Director Jake Hill-Gowing – Senior Art Director Robyn Bowman – Senior Copywriter Louise Ormerod – Head of Design Rob Palmer – Designer Holly Reynolds – Designer Minh Ngan - Editor Nick Dutnall – Executive Director

Due to the illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it is estimated that 14 million people have been forced to flee their home - the majority of whom are women and children. And while countries have opened their borders, there is a lack of infrastructure for safe relocation. Human traffickers have seen this an opportunity to exploit vulnerable Ukrainians into slavery, waiting to pounce as soon as they arrive. We partnered with anti-slavery charity, Unseen UK, to understand the real situation. We quickly realised that getting vital information to Ukrainians the very moment they arrived in the UK is crucial. But how could we guarantee it would reach them in time? The answer? A simple text. A Ukrainian Welcome Text. This text is just like the one we all get when we turn our phone on in a foreign country. Only this time, the vital information and advice would help stop a life of slavery before it can start. Our welcome text explained, in English, Ukrainian and Russian, the dangers posed by traffickers, as well as instructions on how to avoid falling prey. It then directed newcomers to an online hub with more information about how to safely set-up in their newly adopted country. Our "simple solution" was unfortunately, not so simple to implement. We had to get the Telecom providers onboard to automatically send our Welcome Text the minute a Ukrainian mobile was turned on in the UK. Through an open letter from Unseen and a call to arms on social media, we asked the public to message their Telco provider to make this happen. People immediately got behind the powerful message, and it worked. With the help of Unseen, and more than 25 human rights group, we got the major Ukrainian Telcos onboard. Currently, Vodaphone and Kyivstar are ensuring that the Ukrainians entering the UK are automatically receiving our message the minute they arrive and turn on their phones. And as a result of our Welcome Text’s effectiveness, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has asked all Telcos across Europe to send the text message to Ukrainians on the arrival to their new temporary home. An incredible, life-changing achievement that is potentially saving thousands more Ukrainians from a life of slavery.