Since April 2022, Fondation Hirondelle and its local partners, including the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI), the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) and FH’s transitional justice news website Justice Info, have been supporting independent media across Ukraine to ensure that conflict-affected communities continue to access reliable, fact-based information. Through mentoring, grants, training and equipment support, the project strengthens editorial, managerial and financial capacity of local newsrooms while helping them respond to thei audience evolving needs.
Building on four years of experience and evidence gathered through audience research, the project is now placing greater emphasis on public interest journalism – a natural evolution that reflects both the most pressing needs of Ukrainian communities and Fondation Hirondelle’s core expertise. Particular attention is given to reporting on local governance, reconstruction, public services, social cohesion, accountability, justice and other issues that directly affect people’s daily lives. By strengthening both editorial quality and organisational resilience, the project helps local media remain trusted sources of information and essential actors of community resilience and civic engagement in times of war and recovery.
Financial volume 2025
1 807 655 CHF
Sources of funding
- Swiss Solidarity (Chaîne du Bonheur)
- Switzerland (SDC Programme Contribution)
- Fondazione Aiuto alla Cooperazione e allo Sviluppo
- Jan Michalski Foundation
- Sandoz Family Philanthropic Foundation
- Sauvain Petitpierre Foundation
- Valeria Rossi di Montelera
Key figures for 2025
5 millions citizens reached
69 media partners
1000 stories produced
Context
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Fondation Hirondelle and its local partner IRMI moved quickly to help independent media continue serving their communities. Since then, we have supported local newsrooms through grants, mentoring, training and equipment, helping them produce reliable public interest journalism, adapt to wartime challenges, and remain trusted sources of information for millions of Ukrainians.
Strengthening the link between audiences and the media in wartime
Amid the upheaval of war, helping local media understand and respond to their audiences’ information needs has become a defining goal of Fondation Hirondelle’s work in Ukraine.
Our latest audience research shows that the media we support are not only trusted sources of information but also contribute to stronger civic engagement and community resilience. People exposed to their content were more likely to engage in community initiatives, interact with local authorities and make informed decisions affecting their daily lives. A large majority also reported that the information provided was directly useful to their personal situation. These findings help our partners strengthen public interest reporting on the issues that matter most to citizens, including local governance, reconstruction, public services, social cohesion, accountability and justice.
Alongside editorial support, the project helps journalists operate safely in a wartime environment through training on physical security, digital safety and mental health. Through our partnership with the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), we also support advocacy efforts to defend journalists’ rights, document violations against media professionals, and maintain international attention on journalists who have been detained, gone missing or lost their lives.
In 2026, the project continues to evolve through close engagement with local media and ongoing monitoring of developments on the ground. This has led to a stronger focus on public interest journalism, reflecting both the most pressing information needs of Ukrainian communities and Fondation Hirondelle’s core expertise: supporting independent media that help citizens understand, engage with and respond to the challenges affecting their lives and communities.
Priorities
- Support for Ukrainian media producing public interest journalism
- Media coverage contributing to social cohesion and recovery
- Audience-centred journalism responding to evolving information needs
Activities
- Editorial grants, mentoring and equipment support
for public interest journalism and media sustainability - Training and support on physical, digital and psychosocial safety for journalists operating
in conflict-affected environments
By adopting interactive formats such as short videos, podcasts and audience-driven storytelling, partner media have strengthened audience trust in local news and expanded their reach. Collaboration between regional outlets has improved information flows across frontline communities, while editorial grants have enabled more in-depth reporting on reconstruction and social resilience.
Targeted training and mentoring in conflict-sensitive and solutions journalism continued to strengthen the editorial and technical capacities of Ukrainian media professionals.
Journalist safety remained a priority, with a dedicated programme developed with the 2402 Foundation providing essential skills for working in conflict environments, strengthening both physical and digital protection. In parallel, our partner NUJU led international advocacy to defend journalists detained in occupied areas and promote respect for international humanitarian law.
The result is a stronger, more connected network of independent local media that continues to inform, support and give voice to communities under fire. Building on these achievements, Fondation Hirondelle continue in 2026 to support 12 partner media through targeted grants and mentoring, with a stronger focus on public interest journalism and fostering local public dialogue and community engagement.
To find out more about our work for justice and reconciliation, visit our dedicated page.
Our impact
In 2025, Fondation Hirondelle and its partners supported 69 local newsrooms, helping them strengthen their sustainability amid funding cuts and reach around 5 million citizens with trusted reporting.
Partner media produced nearly 1,000 stories on security, humanitarian needs, governance, justice and recovery, amplifying local voices and helping conflict-affected communities better understand and respond to the challenges of war and reconstruction.
Testimonial
“Each training course organised by Fondation Hirondelle provides me with new knowledge, new professional connections, and renewed energy to implement new ideas. Thanks to the skills and tools I gained during the training, I no longer need to send formal information requests to obtain data on local budget spending or company ownership.”
Yuliia Shmatchenko, Editor-in-Chief of Slobidskyi Krai newspaper, Kharkiv