Themes by tag: Chernihiv

On September 22, a new shift of the construction camp organized by the NGO “Building Ukraine Together” began. Volunteers are creating a youth space in the Ladan settlement hromada, Chernihiv oblast.  Many foreigners joined this new shift.

For example, Ayami came to Ukraine from Japan because she believes that Ukrainians have a very strong spirit. Mykola came from Kazakhstan to volunteer. He used to work in IT, but decided to join the camp because he wanted to do something with his own hands, not just donate.

Also volunteering in the Chernihiv oblast are Maurizio, who came from Italy, and Duarte from Portugal.

For reference: The volunteer construction camp is carried out with the support of Razom.

“Building Ukraine Together” is a non-governmental organization that promotes trust and responsibility among Ukrainian youth and encourages their participation in the development of a democratic Ukraine.

• volunteers
• Chernihiv

Save Ukraine, a charitable organization, in collaboration with the ICF “Contribution to Medicine Development”, has launched a new initiative called the Medical Bus. This social project aims to provide residents of remote Ukrainian communities, where access to doctors is limited, with essential medical services.

The Medical Bus, a large vehicle converted into a mobile clinic by German partners, is fully equipped to offer preventive exams and medical care on the go. Patients can consult with specialized doctors, receive free glasses, undergo ultrasounds, and have their blood sugar levels checked, among other services. 

Recently, the mobile clinic visited the village of Lukashi in Kyiv Oblast, where many residents had their first doctor’s visit in years. 

The Medical Bus will continue its operations in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, delivering much-needed healthcare to those who need it most.

• doctors
• Chernihiv
• Kyiv

Eoin, an Irishman, is in charge of rebuilding 10 houses in Chernihiv oblast that were destroyed as a result of the full-scale invasion. He came to Ukraine last year as a volunteer, but later became the chief foreman in the international construction camp INBUT organized by Repair Together NGO.

Eoin is a carpenter by trade. In the summer of 2023, he came to Ukraine with his work tools to join the restoration efforts for 4 weeks on a volunteer basis. However, he stayed for 5 months, because Eoin was put in charge of coordinating the work at 10 sites developed by INBUT volunteers. This year, the Irishman returned to finish the houses.

Many other foreign volunteers work together with Eoin in the Chernihiv oblast. In particular, Filip from the Czech Republic.

For reference: INBUT (international construction camp) is a project of Repair Together NGO, which launched last year. With the help of about a thousand people from 27 countries, INBUT built frames of 10 houses in place of those destroyed during the hostilities. This year, 22 foreign volunteers from 11 countries worked with INBUT: U.S., France, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Austria, Germany, Ireland, England, Chile.

• casualties
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Chernihiv

Back in Czechia Filip has two jobs: he is a Turkish language and literature lecturer at a university in Prague, and a chemistry and geography teacher at a school. Recently, he came to Chernihiv oblast by bicycle for the second time and joined the volunteers of the International Construction Camp (INBUT), who are rebuilding Ukrainian homes destroyed by the russians.

Last year, Filip traveled 2,000 km by bicycle from the Czech Republic to Ukraine to join INBUT. He was supposed to volunteer for a month but stayed for three.

For reference: INBUT is a project of Repair Together NGO, which launched last year. With the help of about a thousand people from 27 countries, INBUT built frames of 10 houses in place of those destroyed during the hostilities. This year, 22 foreign volunteers from 11 countries worked with INBUT: U.S., France, Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Austria, Germany, Ireland, England, Chile.

• casualties
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Chernihiv

The Velyke Divnytstvo (Great Girl’s Gathering) project, led by Repair Together, is revolutionizing gender roles by empowering young women to take on construction tasks traditionally dominated by men. This initiative aims to open doors for women in the construction industry, providing them with equal opportunities to excel in the field.

In the village of Lukashivka, Chernihiv Oblast, Ms. Nina’s home was destroyed by the russian invasion. The project began in November 2022 with the installation of the first autoclaved aerated concrete block for a new home for Nina’s family. Since then, an all-female team has constructed the walls, installed the reinforcement belt, and completed the roof. The team is set to finish the house for Ms. Nina by the end of the year.

For reference: Over the past two years, more than 200 volunteers, including notable Ukrainian personalities, have joined the Velyke Divnytstvo project. 

Repair Together, a non-governmental organization, focuses on building a dynamic volunteer community in Ukraine, combining efforts to tackle pressing social issues with cultural and educational initiatives.

• reconstruction
• volunteers
• women
• Chernihiv

Kateryna Lukiienko hails from the small village of Zalyman in the Kharkiv region, home to about 800 people before the full-scale invasion. When the all-out war erupted, Zalyman quickly fell under enemy control. Kateryna, along with her sister Lidiia and her children, was trapped in the village with no communication. Determined to document the atrocities, Kateryna began recording everything she witnessed. She took pictures, made videos, and kept detailed notes, compiling evidence of russian crimes in the region. During this time, she survived a russian shelling that left her with a traumatic brain injury. Her collected evidence, including testimonies, photos, and videos, has been submitted to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Following the village’s liberation, Kateryna and her family relocated to the Chernihiv region. She is currently awaiting state compensation for their destroyed home in Zaliman.

Kateryna Lukiienko remains in the Chernihiv region and is available for interviews, both online and in person.

• occupation
• russian crimes
• women
• Chernihiv

The Sercevir Veterans’ Space has been operating remotely for over a year without a physical location. This April, the founders and participants, including military personnel, veterans, and their families, began renovating a former women’s clinic. Once completed, “Sercevir” will offer its services in-person. Currently, dismantling work is in progress. Injured soldiers, some using prostheses, are personally contributing to the renovation efforts to expedite the opening. Plans include a modern, inclusive gym, an entire floor dedicated to psychological counseling and support, legal assistance, and a children’s playroom for families to use while attending the gym or training sessions.

• casualties
• military
• psychological support
• reconstruction
• Chernihiv

The family of Maryna Shvets from Chernihiv region appealed to the volunteers of Dobrobat. After their house was destroyed in a russian shelling, the family was forced to live in a shed. After her house burned down, Maryna did not give up: she helped the Ukrainian military and her fellow villagers, baked bread and shared homemade products.

Currently, Dobrobat volunteers have started building a new two-story building with two entrances for Maryna’s family. Volunteers have already laid the foundation and the first AAC blocks. Dobrobat volunteers actively involve the local population in the construction process. According to their calculations, Maryna’s family will be able to move into a new home as soon as this summer.

For reference: “Dobrobat” is a volunteer building division that helps those in need to urgently restore housing and social infrastructure facilities in the de-occupied territories.

• casualties
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Chernihiv

Prior to the full-scale invasion, Andriy Galyuga worked as an electrical engineer in Chernihiv. When the big war began, the man started restoring damaged power lines and volunteering. At first, he brought food and medicine to those who could not get them on their own, and later he gathered a team of like-minded people around him.

After the region was de-occupied, Andriy’s team began to restore the damaged houses of local residents, and even build houses from scratch in certain places. Later, a team of volunteers began weaving camouflage nets, and when they found out about the need for FPV drones on the front lines, they learned how to assemble these devices. Andriy started “Because we can” NGO, and his team works on a volunteer basis. Spare parts for drones are bought with donations from Ukrainians.

• volunteers
• Chernihiv

Hennadii Stukalo is an anesthesiologist, Head of the Anesthesiology Department of the Chernihiv Regional Hospital. When russia started its full-scale invasion, he was in the hospital around the clock.

In the most difficult days of the russian advancement, over 50 wounded people in need of surgery were once brought to the hospital within an hour. Hennadii, together with other doctors and medical personnel, saved patients and even performed extremely complex operations in the conditions of power, heat and water supply outages and under artillery fire as well as during shelling.

When performing surgery, they had to use improvised means to illuminate the operating room (head torches, ordinary flashlights and mobile phones), because there were constant power cuts. In order to warm the wounded, they even had to cover them with plastic bottles with heated water.

Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with the doctor both online and in person.

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces completely liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border had been restored in Sumy region.

• casualties
• doctors
• russian crimes
• Chernihiv