Themes by tag: volunteers

For 56-year-old Khrystyna Dovhaliuk of Ternopil, the russia-Ukraine war began in 2014. Following russia’s annexation of Crimea and its assault on eastern Ukraine, Dovhaliuk started volunteering. She transported vehicles and humanitarian aid for the military from abroad, delivering supplies to the front lines. Dovhaliuk also became a blood donor, contributing 50 liters by age 17. One of her sons is currently defending Ukraine.

Even before russia’s full-scale invasion, Dovhaliuk had resolved to join the Armed Forces. This decision, set for 2024, recently moved forward when the Territorial Recruitment Center approved her for a military medical commission. Now, Dovhaliuk is refreshing her first aid knowledge and training physically to prepare for service.

For reference: Currently, in Ternopil, Khrystyna Dovhaliuk is available for interviews, both online and in person.

• volunteers
• women
• Ternopil

Oleksandra Knyha and her brother Andrii, hailing from the now-occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region, have shown remarkable resilience and dedication. When Russian tanks entered Oleshky and Kherson at the beginning of the invasion, the siblings stayed to help their community. Oleksandra’s friends from abroad sent several trucks of humanitarian aid, which she and Andrii sorted, distributed, and handed out. However, as volunteers strongly involved in civic engagement began to be abducted, the pair had to relocate to Ukrainian-controlled territory

After the de-occupation of Kherson on November 11, 2022, Oleksandra and Andrii returned to help rebuild the city. They organized creative workshops for children in shelters, addressing the urgent need for education and engagement amidst the destruction. This initiative led to the creation of the Kryla Foundation (KRYLA).

The foundation supports families on the right bank of the Dnipro River and carries out humanitarian missions in the town of Oleshky on the occupied left bank. The area suffered significant damage after the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam. The foundation organizes events and holidays for children in the Kherson region and has arranged trips for Kherson children to camps in Poland and western Ukraine.

Currently, with the support of partners, they are developing a new project called Multispace “KRYLA” (WINGS). This shelter location provides Kherson residents with opportunities to socialize or learn new skills despite the ongoing security concerns.

Journalists can learn more and speak with Oleksandra and Andrii either offline or online.

For reference: Before the full-scale war, Oleksandra Knyha and her friends organized various events and transported supplies for children from an orphanage in Kakhovka. Since 2016, she has worked with children with mental disabilities, designing a collection of casual clothes featuring their drawings. Andrii managed a family business in Oleshky, developing green tourism at a local recreation center with his wife.

• casualties
• children
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kherson

The Hospitails project is a team of veterinarians and volunteers who have come together to help and evacuate animals in the frontline areas.

A year ago, when the occupiers blew up the Kakhovka dam, the team set out to rescue four-legged friends from the disaster zone, which marked the day when the initiative started working systematically. Hospitals equipped a full-fledged mobile operating room, which allows treating and vaccinating animals as well as performing surgeries in field conditions.

Within the year of operation, the team evacuated and found homes for about 200 animals. During their trips, 243 animals were vaccinated and treated. 168 “tails” were operated on and sterilized. They also distributed 10 tons of humanitarian aid.

For reference: The Hospitails project is a joint initiative of the Hospitallers medical volunteer battalion and Hvostati Charitable Foundation, which helps and finds homes for animals.

• animals
• casualties
• volunteers
• evacuation

On June 14, in Dnipro, representatives of the National Register of Records of Ukraine will record another record – 78-year-old Volodymyr Nikolaiev will make his 794th blood donation. He is the first to receive the highest title of Hero of Ukraine for donating blood.

Volodymyr is convinced that his blood is especially needed now, because it saves our wounded soldiers. Volodymyr Nikolaiev has been a donor for 47 years and 11 months, and this was recognized as an absolute record of Ukraine. The honored donor of Ukraine donated a total of 650.5 liters of blood.

For reference: World Blood Donor Day is commemorated on June 14.

• volunteers
• Dnipro

Eight years ago, Lesia Mandur moved from Avdiivka, Donetsk region (the city has been occupied since February this year) to Irpin, Kyiv region. At the beginning of the full-scale war, she had to leave home again.

After the russian retreat from Kyiv region, Lesia returned to Irpin. And at the beginning of 2023, she founded a volunteer movement that makes energy bars for the military. Parishioners of one of the local churches (about 10 women) joined the initiative.

Volunteers make 44 kilograms of energy bars every week, which amounts to more than 500 bars. The ingredients include various nuts, cranberries, dates, dried apricots, dried plums and apples, raisins, sunflower seeds and honey.

This week, the volunteer movement faced difficulties – they could not work due to power outages. After all, a special device for grinding food is used in production, and it requires electricity. So now they are collecting fuel to start using a generator starting next week and continue working.

• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

Founded in the early weeks of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the PowerKit project began with five friends and has since grown to over 100 volunteers from across Ukraine and abroad. The project’s mission is to supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces with free-of-charge, powerful, and user-friendly power banks. Each PowerKit power bank features a red LED strip, USB outputs, and a special connector for charging military radios.

In addition to supporting the military, the project has an environmental focus: repurposing disposable electronic cigarettes. These devices contain lithium batteries, which are well-suited for creating rechargeable powerful power banks.

Since its inception, PowerKit volunteers have produced 5,015 power banks, reusing 200,600 e-cigarettes in the process.

Journalists are invited to meet the project team and report on their work in Kyiv.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

Lars Fersters, a Swedish citizen and former sailor, has embarked on a mission alongside the Kyiv-based volunteer group, Dobrobat, to restore the home of a senior woman in Irpin. Her dwelling place sustained significant damage from shelling during the spring of 2022 and requires meticulous reconstruction.

Fersters expressed his inability to idly watch as Ukrainians suffer from russian attacks, prompting him to leave behind his domestic affairs and join Dobrobat as a volunteer.

For context: “Dobrobat” is a volunteer construction unit dedicated to swiftly restoring housing and social infrastructure facilities in de-occupied territories.

• volunteers
• Kyiv

A women’s volunteer fire brigade emerged in Rivne Oblast at the onset of the full-blown invasion. Spearheaded by Alla Karpiuk, head of the Velyka Omeliana village community, the brigade sprang into action after Karpiuk’s firsthand experiences battling blazes, including three fire incidents involving homes and dry grass, when under coordination with firefighters, she helped save people’s property. 

Comprising 21 volunteers, the fire brigade boasts diverse backgrounds, with members ranging from deputies and accountants to saleswomen. Even a widow, grappling with the war’s toll, has joined the ranks.

Currently, the team is immersed in rigorous training provided by the State Emergency Service, honing skills in first aid, fire hose manipulation, fire extinguisher operation, and water management to earn their professional certifications. 

Journalists, upon arrangement, are welcome to engage with brigade members for firsthand insights, either in person or online.

• volunteers
• women
• Rivne

Anastasia Astafieva is one of the best tattoo artists and tattoo removal specialists in the capital. After the start of the full-scale invasion, Anastasia was approached by a military man who wanted to have his tattoo removed. There was gunpowder residue embedded into the skin of his face after an explosion. Anastasia tried to remove these specks with a laser, because her device can also be used for such tasks. The result became noticeable after the first session. And after a few procedures, Anastasia completely restored the soldier’s skin. He, in turn, told his brothers in arms about the tattoo artist. This is how the woman obtained her first clients with injuries from explosives. Nowadays, in addition to gunpowder residue Anastasia also removes pieces of soot and earth from people’s faces, as they also get under the skin during an explosion. Anastasia doesn’t charge military and civilians who have suffered as a result of the war.

• casualties
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

Olga Abdalla, Tetiana Shcherbak and Elena Ernandes-Rodriges are volunteers and founders of the Bez.Doma charity initiative. In 2014, when russia first attacked Ukraine, the women came together, brought food for wounded soldiers in a hospital in Kyiv, and later began assisting children’s shelters. In the winter of 2017, Olga, Tetiana and Elena thought about how to support the homeless. Then the women decided to join the Help the Homeless initiative, came to the capital’s Podil and distributed more than a hundred sandwiches to those in need, particularly, the homeless, as well as the elderly. The team that worked in Podil took the next step and started taking care of those in need at the capital’s railway station.

On February 24, 2022, the Bez.Doma initiative announced a break, and volunteers responded to the requests of the military. Food, generators, and charging stations were sent to the soldiers. After three months, the team decided to resume the activity of the initiative, however, they had to start from scratch. After all, most people went abroad. 150 people came to the first distribution of food, later this number increased to 400. Internally displaced persons who needed support joined the homeless. Every Saturday, volunteers distribute food, basic necessities and medicine. In addition, last year Bez.Doma together with the Help the Homeless initiative created a shelter for those in need. The shelter is designed for 40 people, and it currently houses 25 people.

• casualties
• volunteers