Themes by tag: Zaporizhzhia

Tetiana Tipakova, originally from Donetsk and a longtime resident of Berdiansk in Zaporizhia Oblast (now under occupation), spent nearly 30 years working in a travel agency. When russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she became an active voice in support of her country, organizing peaceful protests in Berdiansk.

For her efforts, Tetiana was abducted by russian forces. Blindfolded and taken to a detention center, she endured two days of interrogation and brutal torture, including electric shocks to her fingers and a mock execution. She was forced to record a video apology before being released. However, the next day, she was captured again, held for four more days, and subjected to further abuse.

After this harrowing experience, Tetiana made the decision to flee Berdiansk. She crossed more than 20 checkpoints to reach Zaporizhia, where she founded a women’s initiative group. This eventually led to the creation of the NGO “Ridna Stezhka” (Home Footpath), dedicated to helping displaced people and supporting fellow Ukrainians.

In the early stages, Tetiana’s organization provided food, medicine, and support for evacuees, helping them settle into their new lives in Zaporizhia. Within the first year, the NGO successfully applied for 24 grants, winning 3.

By 2024, Tetiana had secured financial backing to launch an educational space offering computer literacy classes, movie screenings, and psychological support. Her organization is now expanding its mission to empower women through education, training, and ongoing support in Zaporizhia.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the Palianytsia Charitable Foundation has been steadfast in supporting Ukrainian defenders. Among its key initiatives, volunteers are focused on producing essential heating equipment for soldiers at the front. One of their creations is a medium-sized dugout shelter heater, designed to heat spaces of up to 20 square meters.

The Palianytsia Foundation’s welding shop in Zaporizhia is managed by Mykhailo, a volunteer who has been working since the war’s early days. He and his team aim to produce 300 heaters for frontline troops this season.

In a typical shift, the volunteers craft 10 heaters, with welders working during their spare time. The materials needed for the project are funded by donations from supporters.

• volunteers
• Zaporizhzhia

The Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation launched the “Children Dream” campaign and asked children from different regions about their dreams. The aim is to show that despite difficult circumstances, children continue to dream and need the support of adults. Moreover, children’s dreams are a source of strength for adults as well.

“I hope that when the war is over, we will have a very beautiful sea that will be very popular with tourists. (…) Let our music flourish all over the world…”

This is an excerpt from a letter written by 12-year-old Eva, who shares her dreams. Three months after the outbreak of the full-scale war, she was forced to leave her native village in the Zaporizhia region (now occupied) and moved to the city of Zaporizhia, where she participates in the activities of the Center of the Children’s Voices Charitable Foundation.

Among the dreams shared by other children is the desire to attend school in person instead of studying online. And, of course, the children dream of Ukraine’s victory and the liberation of the occupied territories.

Journalists can learn more about the “Children Dream” campaign and, with prior agreement, speak with the children (whose parents consent), particularly in the Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and in Kyiv.

• children
• Dnipro
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv
• Zaporizhzhia

On September 8, the “Beloved, I Live!” project will launch its fifth group of support classes in Zaporizhia. This initiative, dedicated to providing psychological assistance to women who have lost their husbands in the war, will welcome seven new participants.

The project was conceived in March 2023 when Yaryna Herashchenko, a social activist, was approached by a family friend grieving her military husband. The idea for “Beloved, I Live!” emerged from this interaction, with Herashchenko and her mother, a psychologist, coming together to offer support.

Participants in the program receive counseling and engage in various therapeutic activities such as archery, yoga, and Thai boxing. The initiative also includes off-site events. For example, on Khortytsia Island, participants wrote letters to their lost loved ones, crafted boats from these messages, and set them afloat on the Dnipro River. Additionally, they prepared and shared meals featuring their Beloveds’ favorite dishes. The women have also been involved in two photo projects: “In Memory of You,” which features images with memorabilia to tell the stories of their husbands, and “Beloved, I Live!,” a photo session designed to inspire renewal.

• dead
• military
• psychological support
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Zaporizhia will witness the official launch of a new educational center on July 18, specifically designed for children from internally displaced families.

This pioneering center offers:
– Structured classes led by qualified educators;
– Themed activities encompassing sports, art therapy, psychological workshops, scientific experiments, interactive learning, dynamic entertainment, quests, and cinematic experiences;
– A secure and nurturing environment.

More than just a place for academic learning, this center encourages children to explore their talents, forge new friendships, and make the most of their time.

The event will host esteemed guests including representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI).

Supported by USAID’s Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative (UCBI) and the Support Ukraine Today Foundation, the center’s inauguration marks a significant step in supporting children affected by displacement.

• children
• Zaporizhzhia

A youth center for displaced youth has opened in Zaporizhia. It was opened with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ukraine and financial support from the European Union. The center will serve as a foundation for establishing teams of young leaders. These teams will collaborate with local authorities to facilitate the engagement of young individuals in the recovery efforts of the Zaporizhia region. A separate milestone in the center’s work will be the involvement of young people in volunteer initiatives in the city and the organization of measures to improve public safety and social cohesion. In particular, educational events and seminars are planned to be held in the center.

• reconstruction
• Zaporizhzhia

The rehabilitation center for soldiers fighting for Ukraine along the Zaporizhia axis has started working in the city of Zaporizhia. Specialists of the center provide rehabilitation assistance, psychological counseling and physical therapy services. Ukrainian and foreign partners helped equip the center. In particular, they cooperated with international organizations on the supply of modern robotic equipment. And the Charitable Foundation “Faith in Ukraine” helped with furniture for the wards.

• Zaporizhzhia

Leading the charge at the St. Nicholas Clinic is Kostiantyn Mylytsia, a surgeon and co-founder of the Brave Step prosthetic center in Zaporizhia. Established in September 2023, this vital facility was made possible through funding from the Slovak Embassy and a local charity foundation. Prior to its inception, individuals in need of prosthetics within the region had to journey to western Ukraine or seek assistance abroad. Now, they have a lifeline closer to home – the nearest prosthetic center to the front line. Mylytsia stresses the urgency of prompt surgical intervention for wounded soldiers. 

At Brave Step, assistance is rendered free of charge to all who seek it. The center’s medical professionals have undergone rigorous training in the United States, Germany, and Austria.

• casualties
• Zaporizhzhia

Olena Chertkova, an economist by training, started her journey with volunteering efforts by taking matters into her own hands like making trench candles and fire starters during the invasion. By 2023, she shifted focus to dry showers due to high demand as a portable dry shower kit is a solution for military hygienic procedures in the field. 

Using online resources and modifying recipes from Ukrainian women on Facebook, Olena perfected her formula, opting for dermatological gel over baby gel and fine-tuning proportions through a month-long trial on herself. Over 5,000 showers later, she now oversees a team of assistants. 

Despite initial monthly costs of 2-3 thousand hryvnias, expenses have risen to 7 thousand hryvnias due to increased production. Olena’s showers, priced at 7 hryvnias, offer cost-effective relief compared to store-bought alternatives. 

Olena’s available for interviews in person in Zaporizhia or online.

• volunteers
• women
• Zaporizhzhia

Tetiana Kuzmuk has been growing lemons, grapefruits, oranges and limes in Zaporizhia for 14 years. At first, the citrus garden was just a hobby for the woman, but then she turned gardening into her life’s work. Currently, Tetiana grows more than 30 varieties of different citrus fruits in her garden.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, gardening also became an opportunity for Tetiana to distract herself from the war, because Zaporizhia is affected by enemy shelling almost every day. Plants also bring material benefits, namely, donations for the Defense Forces. The woman started exchanging tree sprouts for donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Tetiana has already managed to raise UAH 200,000. The gardener transferred the collected funds to one of the military units.

• women
• Zaporizhzhia