The Information Management team of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Ukraine explains how the Relief Coordination Centre (RCC), a national NGO which plays a vital role in front-line areas, has emerged as a key player in coordinating humanitarian efforts through innovative, data-driven tools and local partnerships thanks to OCHA’s expertise and funding.

As conflict continues in Ukraine’s front-line areas—especially Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia—humanitarian needs are growing rapidly.

The Relief Coordination Centre (RCC) coordinates evacuations and delivery of critical aid, acting as a hub for over 280 local NGOs, mirroring the role of OCHA by managing logistics, evacuation requests, and data collection.

In 2024, the OCHA-managed Ukraine Humanitarian Fund allocated $2.5 million to support RCC’s operations.

OCHA provided invaluable expertise which enabled RCC to set up the Kharkiv Transit Centre Evacuation Dashboard — a Power BI tool to help visualize evacuee flows, places of origin and destination, and types of assistance provided.

Scaling Up Amid Crisis

Following intensified hostilities in Kharkiv in March 2024, RCC took charge of the city’s transit centre for evacuees. This centre became a lifeline for civilians fleeing violence near the Russian border.

RCC managed daily operations, coordinated with volunteers, and provided transportation and shelter referrals.

“At the start of 2024, we handled about 40 evacuations a day,” said Oleksandr Kulyk, RCC. “By April, during the Vovchansk offensive, we were seeing up to 1,000 people daily. The data volume was overwhelming.”

Initially relying on Google Sheets, RCC struggled to manage and analyze the growing data needs. OCHA helped them standardize geographic codes and improve evacuee registration.

With a reliable dataset in place, OCHA’s Information Management Unit developed the Kharkiv Transit Centre Evacuation Dashboard.

Built in Power BI, this tool visualized evacuee flows, origins, destinations, and types of assistance, enhancing coordination, planning, and donor reporting.

Sustainable and Inclusive Tools

To ensure sustainability, OCHA introduced RCC to Mapbox, a free mapping tool that improved geographic visualizations.

Inclusivity was also prioritized: OCHA’s Disability Advisor trained RCC staff to collect disability-disaggregated data, which is now routinely used in planning and monitoring.

RCC has since applied its improved data skills to other projects, enhancing assessments, reporting, and coordination.