Themes by tag: volunteers

Adam, 28, was born in Miami, United States. At the age of 17, he moved to Austria, where he completed high school, before later studying in Germany. It was in Austria that he first became friends with Ukrainians. In 2021, Adam visited Kyiv and Odesa for the first time.

After russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Adam travelled to Warsaw, where he volunteered to assist Ukrainian refugees. In early 2023, he moved to Ukraine permanently.

He later came across the charitable organisation Brave to Rebuild (Smilyvi Vidnovliuvaty) online and decided to join its volunteer efforts. Adam took part in the demolition of damaged structures and carried out minor repairs to homes hit by shelling. He also worked in Kherson shortly after russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam in 2023.
Adam is currently involved in emergency response work, boarding up windows in residential buildings damaged by russian strikes. He recently became a staff member of Brave to Rebuild. Adam has also learned the Ukrainian language.

By prior arrangement, journalists will have an opportunity to interview Adam in Kyiv after June 15.

• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kyiv

The De-occupation Shop (Lavka Deokupatsii) is a volunteer initiative operating in Kharkiv that sells vegetables and other products grown by residents of liberated communities in the Kharkiv region.

The project’s main goal is to help restore local farming and create economic independence for residents of Studenok village in Izium district. Located near the border of the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, the village spent more than three months under russian occupation after May 31, 2022.

The initiative assists residents with purchasing seeds, building and maintaining greenhouses, and marketing their harvests in Kharkiv. A retail outlet in the city offers cucumbers, green onions, young garlic, carrots, zucchini, new potatoes, artisanal seasoned salt and fresh honey produced by local farmers. Customers can also purchase preserved vegetables, jams and cheeses made in the liberated village of Khotimlia.

Products are also available through partner fairs and online sales. The project has developed a B2B sales channel and cooperates with restaurants and food-service businesses across Ukraine.

In addition, products from the De-occupation Shop have been ordered from the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Croatia, the United States, Finland, Lithuania, Hungary and Belgium.

By prior arrangement, journalists can visit and report on the initiative in Kharkiv.

Background: The De-occupation Shop is a project of the charitable foundation Volonterska.

• casualties
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kharkiv

Dariia Chorna is a co-founder of the volunteer community “Kyiv Bats.” In early 2024, she joined rubble-clearing efforts as a volunteer following another russian missile strike.

On February 7 of that year, Chorna returned to another disaster site together with friends. Within days, they formed a small team that would later become the foundation of “Kyiv Bats.”

The community also began helping victims with paperwork and access to assistance. Most of the volunteers joining the group are young people. Their main goal is to lead by example and show how people can help and support those in need.

Dariia Chorna is available for interviews both online and offline in Kyiv by prior arrangement.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

On May 27, Kyiv will host a special evening marking the fourth anniversary of Dobrobat, a volunteer initiative that has supported Ukraine since the first days of the full-scale war through reconstruction efforts, humanitarian aid, and support for healthcare, education and sports.

The event is intended not only as a reflection on the past four years, but also as a tribute to more than 50,000 volunteers and partners who helped rebuild destroyed homes, restore life in liberated communities and support Ukrainians affected by the war.

At the heart of the gathering will be Dobrobat volunteers from across Ukraine — from the border areas of Sumy region to Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia.

The program includes:

• A review of four years of resilience and work;
• Presentations of new large-scale projects and areas of activity;
• Personal stories from volunteers and partners;
• Informal networking and discussions.

Journalists are required to obtain accreditation.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

Building Ukraine Together (BUR) is launching a new season of BUR camps — volunteer construction camps held in cities and villages across Ukraine that engage young people from around the country in volunteer work.

This year’s BUR camps will take place in Kyiv, Sumy and the village of Byshiv in the Kyiv region. In Kyiv (May 23 — June 1), volunteers will work on renovating an annex attached to a residential building in one of the city’s districts that had long stood abandoned.

Work will focus on two premises within the annex to create the “Svitlychnykh Space” cultural center — a community-oriented venue aimed at strengthening local ties, expanding the district’s cultural infrastructure and preserving local history.

Background: Building Ukraine Together is a civic organization that creates opportunities for young people to drive change in Ukraine through volunteering.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

FRIDA Ukraine runs first aid training sessions for civilians with no medical background. The sessions are designed for people who want to be prepared to act in critical situations and provide lifesaving assistance before professional medics arrive.

Since launching the initiative, the organization has already held more than 100 training sessions. As part of the specialized Stop the Bleed course, participants learn how to:

• stop life-threatening bleeding;
• act effectively under stress and time pressure;
• provide assistance in trauma situations;
• respond to road accidents and other emergencies.

The trainings take place in multiple formats — from sessions at FRIDA’s office to field-based and simulation exercises using realistic scenarios. The main focus is on practical skills that help people make quick decisions and potentially save lives.

By prior arrangement, journalists can attend and cover FRIDA Ukraine’s civilian first aid trainings in Kyiv. The organization can also conduct first aid training sessions for international media teams.

• doctors
• volunteers
• Kyiv

On May 2, FRIDA Ukraine will host a charity event in Kyiv focused on the early detection of skin cancer, as part of Melanoma Awareness Month.

Dermatologists will offer free skin examinations to all attendees. The aim of the event is the early detection of skin cancer, raising public awareness about melanoma, and promoting regular medical check-ups.

Journalists are also welcome to attend the event, speak with dermatologists, and, where possible, with people attending the screening. 

Background: FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer missions are regular deployments of multidisciplinary medical teams to frontline and remote communities across Ukraine. Each mission includes more than 20 specialists, such as neurologists, surgeons, gynecologists, therapists, dermatologists, and others. During these visits, residents receive free consultations, examinations, and tests. Recently, the team has also begun conducting cancer screenings.

• doctors
• volunteers
• Kyiv

Max Dorman, a German national, worked as a paramedic in Hamburg. When russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he and his friends began helping Ukrainian refugees in Germany. Later, he started traveling to Lviv as a volunteer.

Over time, Max became one of the co-founders of Artesans ResQ Ukraine, an organization focused on evacuating the wounded. Its medics have helped more than 3,000 Ukrainians — both military personnel and civilians.

Today, the Artesans ResQ Ukraine team is based in Dnipro and includes both Ukrainians and international members. Each month, the organization carries out around 150 evacuation missions. Its medics operate ambulance-based intensive care units across Ukraine and abroad.

By prior arrangement, journalists can speak with Max Dorman and the Artesans ResQ Ukraine team both online and in person in Dnipro.

• doctors
• volunteers
• Dnipro
• evacuation

On April 17, volunteer doctors from FRIDA Ukraine will travel to an orphanage in the Kyiv region. The team includes around 20 medical professionals, including a pediatrician, neurologist, psychologist, dentist, and surgeon. The doctors regularly visit the facility and provide medical care to children.

On April 18–19, FRIDA Ukraine missions will travel to the Mykolaiv and Sumy regions to provide medical assistance to civilians.

By prior arrangement, journalists can cover the work of the medical teams and conduct interviews with both patients and doctors.

Background: FRIDA Ukraine medical volunteer missions are regular deployments of multidisciplinary medical teams to frontline and remote communities across Ukraine. Each mission includes more than 20 specialists, such as neurologists, surgeons, gynecologists, therapists, dermatologists, and others. During these visits, residents receive free consultations, examinations, and tests. Recently, the team has also begun conducting cancer screenings.

• doctors
• volunteers

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Franky and Сoen — two Dutch entrepreneurs — have been continuously providing humanitarian assistance across Ukraine. What began as a small initiative at the Polish border, where they distributed free French fries to refugees, has grown into a large-scale humanitarian effort spanning the country, including frontline areas.

Today, their work includes:

• distributing hundreds of thousands of hot meals;
• evacuating people and animals from frontline areas;
• delivering medical supplies, food, and humanitarian aid;
• providing financial support to vulnerable families;
• operating a shelter for internally displaced people in Dnipro (Holland House); a second Holland House is set to open in western Ukraine in the coming months, expanding support capacity for more than 100 additional people;
• organizing recovery trips for children affected by the war.

The volunteers are well known in the Netherlands not only for their work in Ukraine but also for how they communicate it. Through social media, documentaries, and national television, they bring the reality of the war directly into Dutch homes.

Franky and Сoen experienced the reality of war firsthand while dining at the Ria Pizza restaurant in Kramatorsk. On June 27, 2023, a russian missile strike hit the city center, killing 13 people and injuring 64 others, including the Dutch volunteers.

By prior arrangement, journalists can meet Franky and Сoen in Kyiv (April 15), Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and the Donbas region. Online interviews are also available.

• casualties
• food
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• Kyiv
• evacuation