Themes by tag: volunteers

Serhii Tsytrykov has been using a wheelchair for the past seven years since he suffered a spinal injury. After the start of the full-scale invasion, he immediately joined the volunteer movement, and soon began to assemble FPV drones for the military. In order to continue supporting the army and get funds for parts for drones, Serhii organized a campaign called “A Thousand Kilometers in a Wheelchair.” Serhii went on his first marathon in May 2024, the second one was held in July. During two marathons, the volunteer traveled more than 700 kilometers across Ukraine. In the second marathon, he managed to collect UAH 236,000. According to Serhii, this should be enough to make 15 FPV drones.

Serhii plans to start his final marathon in September and cover another 300 kilometers. Serhii is currently in Ternopil undergoing rehabilitation, recovering from previous marathons. He will go on the road when he receives a doctor’s permission.

• volunteers
• Ternopil

Ania Kudzia is a Polish citizen who restores monuments for a living. For the past ten years, the woman and her team have been helping to restore Ukraine’s architectural heritage. The restorers have set up a workshop in Lviv where they work on sculptures.

With the beginning of the full-scale war, Ania together with a group of Polish-Ukrainian restorers founded the Ukraina Pomagamy initiative. They buy cars and medicines for the front and assemble first aid kits for soldiers in their workshop. Ania Kudzia delivers all of it to the front line by herself or together with a team of women. Since the initiative was created, volunteers have managed to send seven cars to the front, including an ambulance.

In addition, the restorers underwent a tactical medicine course in Poland, and now they plan to complete the next level of the course, because in the future they are considering the possibility of working as medics at the front.

Ania Kudzia and her team are in Lviv. Restorers are ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• volunteers
• Lviv

The Yanina Sokolova Foundation is set to host its 18th Red Brunch Donor Day in Lviv, a vital blood collection effort aiming to support Ukraine’s military personnel.

On August 29, both locals and visitors in Lviv will have the chance to donate blood, contributing directly to saving the lives of soldiers on the front lines.

The event’s mission is to save lives while raising awareness about the importance of conscious blood donation in Ukraine.

For reference: Since 2019, the Yanina Sokolova Foundation has been challenging stereotypes around blood donation. By organizing Red Brunch events in major offices of socially responsible companies, hotels, and community hubs, the foundation has created an environment that includes refreshments, networking opportunities, and incentive gifts for donors. To date, 2,981 individuals have donated, helping to save more than 8,943 lives.

• volunteers
• Lviv

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

On July 25, Lviv residents are invited to participate in the 17th Red Brunch Donor Day, organized by the Yanina Sokolova Foundation. This event aims to collect blood to support the needs of Ukrainian soldiers.

The primary goal of the event is to save lives and promote a culture of conscious donation in Ukraine.

For reference: Since 2019, the Yanina Sokolova Foundation has been working to change stereotypes about blood donation by hosting Red Brunch events in major offices of socially responsible companies, hotels, and hubs. These events feature treats for donors, networking opportunities, and incentive gifts. So far, 2,887 donors have contributed, helping to save over 8,661 lives.

• volunteers
• Lviv

Before the full-scale invasion, Yevheniia Kim from Mykolaiv (a city in the south of Ukraine) was an icon painter. However, with the first explosions in February 2022, Yevheniia put down her brush and started volunteering. She even turned her workshop into a volunteer hub.

At first, Yevheniia evacuated women and children from Mykolaiv, and after the death of her friend, she joined the efforts to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. Currently, the woman cooperates with the local Voluntary formation of the territorial community as a volunteer paramedic. Yevheniia does not receive a salary, however, she is able to go to the front line and return home at her own request. Yevheniia is not sure that she will be able to paint again after the Victory.

For reference: Yevheniia Kim is either in Mykolaiv or at the front line. The paramedic is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• culture
• doctors
• volunteers
• women
• Mykolaiv

Dozens of volunteers, including members of the Los Solomas community, are currently working in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district, where a kindergarten and nearby houses were damaged by the missile hit on July 8.

Volunteers are engaged in tasks such as clearing construction debris and covering shattered windows with plastic.

Journalists are welcome to report on the volunteers’ efforts.

For reference: On July 8, russian forces launched a missile attack on Kyiv, damaging 129 buildings in the city. The attack resulted in 34 fatalities. As of the morning of July 10, 38 people injured in the attack remain hospitalized, with 6 in serious condition.

• reconstruction
• russian crimes
• volunteers
• Kyiv

Jennifer is a German citizen. She first learned about Dobrobat in the summer of 2023. Working on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine was not enough for her, so she also started restoring Ukrainian houses ruined by the occupiers.

During her first volunteer trip in June 2023, Jennifer worked in Kharkiv. After that she came to Kyiv and fell in love with this city. Since then, she has been constantly involved in Dobrobat’s work in Kyiv region. Mostly, this involves cleaning up construction rubble and debris, but Jennifer has a favorite job – repairing roofs.

The woman combines volunteering with work as a German language teacher in Kyiv. She supports Ukrainians in learning German in every possible way.

Tomorrow (July 2), Jennifer, together with other Dobrobat volunteers, will work in Horenka, Kyiv region. The roof of a house belonging to a large family was completely burnt out as a result of the russian attacks in the spring of 2022.

For reference: Dobrobat is a volunteer building division that helps those affected to urgently rebuild their houses and social infrastructure facilities in the de-occupied territories.

• casualties
• occupation
• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kyiv