Art project Behind blue eyes
“War children capture their lives on film, and we make their dreams come true as a reward for their creativity”
Behind Blue Eyes is a project of marketers Dmytro Zubkov and Artem Skorokhodko. During their volunteer trips, they got to know the children of the de-occupied village of Lukashivka in Chernihiv Oblast, who had spent weeks living in basements.
One day, the lads gave the children film cameras and suggested that they film their lives for a week. The developed pictures feature portraits of parents and friends, photos of enemy missiles and equipment, rides on a moped among half-destroyed buildings. It eventually turned into an art project, and each of the participants received a reward – everything they asked for in their wish list. All the Instagram users who saw the pictures were invited to raise money for these gifts.
And then it went on and on: exhibitions, dozens of trips to de-occupied areas and hundreds of wish lists and gifts for children.
“Great many young Ukrainians show us every time that there is always time for dreams, and we, in return, support their ability to dream and boldly look to the future, despite the traumatic experience of war. The little ones from the de-occupied and frontline areas film their lives, and as a reward for their creativity, we fulfil their wish lists,” the volunteers told us.
The name Behind blue eyes appeared as if by itself. This is an English idiom that means the state of a person in which they are suffering or experiencing negative emotions, but you cannot discern it since they appear OK on the surface. It seemed to the lads that this applied perfectly to children in the de-occupied villages and cities.
“Our work, of course, boils down to positive emotions, but as it turned out, not every trip ends with you bringing back a bag of smiles. Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts left behind grave impressions, but challenges provoke changes, so we have recovered, done our homework and are pushing further forward.”
Social theatre in Zolotonosha
A place where you can go beyond your limits
Social theatre in Zolotonosha, Cherkasy Oblast, emerged as a response to the desire to help internally displaced people adapt. What kind of performance is it? It is a performance that raises mental health issues, and an important element of it is the discussion of the performance between actors and the audience.
The theatre operates on the basis of a youth center, and they look for people to join through social media.
This theatre is being created by non-professional actors. ‘The aim of the theatre is not to cultivate specialists but to create an environment where people can explore themselves and their capabilities, to push their limits’, says Tatiana Nyzhnyk, coordinator.
Professional actors may be invited as guests:
‘Andrii Valenskyi, a theatre and film actor, recently visited us. He shared his acting experience and skills. We practiced acting exercises for diction; we tried ourselves as actors: we played different scenes and life situations’; the participants say.
At these regular meetings, they also talk about immersion in the profession and what helps actors. They also laugh a lot and do things for the first time. ‘These meetings help us develop new skills, confidence, and get a deeper understanding of ourselves and others’, Tatiana adds.
At each performance, the young people raise funds for the local Defence Coordination Committee.
They are currently working on a new production based on real-life stories of IDPs.
Beauty volunteers
supporting people in the de-occupied territories
The Beauty Volunteers, or the Beauty Battalion, is a team of beauty professionals who provide their services free of charge in territories that have been liberated from the invaders.
‘Many people have become victims of Russian aggression: their houses have been demolished, property looted and destroyed, lives ruined. It is very important to support those who have had a hard time.
We have the resources, the time, and the opportunity to give our all, to inspire people and remind them that everything will be okay. Our team travels through cities and villages wrecked by the Russian invaders. We do what we know how to do: hairdressing, nails, eyebrows, and massages. And we listen to people and hug them, too. We bring them tasty treats and necessities’, the volunteers say.
Once a week, the professionals visit yet another de-occupied town and establish a self-care unit there. To the people who spent a lot of time in basements and cellars, this brings a return to normal life and a renewed feeling of the ground under their feet, even if only temporarily.
The professionals work exclusively as volunteers, ‘sponsored’ by their friends, acquaintances, and people from around the world who donate money to cover the cost of gasoline, taxi rides, coffee, and consumables.
‘Our task is not to provide a service but to offer people attention and support. People find it pleasant and valuable to be cared for. This is especially true now, when people from de-occupied territiories may simply lack money to pay for basic hygiene procedures, such as haircuts or manicures’, says Olha Balytska, the founder of the initiative.
Assortment Room
cultural volunteers
evacuating artwork
Employees and volunteers of the Assortment Room, an art gallery in Ivano-Frankivsk, evacuate works of art that are at risk destruction or theft by Russians. From the outset of the full-scale war, the gallery became a temporary shelter for hundreds of pieces of art evacuated from hot spots. Young people of various ages and professions joined the rescue efforts.
‘On February 24, we gathered together and started thinking about how we can be useful,’ remembers Alona Karavai, the gallery’s co-founder.
‘At first, we wanted to enlist in the Territorial Defense, but they had enough reserves at that time, so we decided to evacuate works of art instead.
‘We posted guidance on Facebook, saying that we are willing to evacuate and give shelter to objects of art that are in danger. As early as February 25, we received lots of calls and messages, and started working on them,’ says Alona.
Eventually, the volunteers were contacted by friendly organizations, museums, and other regional institutions close to the front line.
All requests were submitted through an online form, where people could specify the city, contact person, phone number, email, and the works of art to be rescued. This would initiate the process of organizing logistics, communication with artists and institutions, packing the art objects, archiving, and forwarding to storage.
The volunteers were assisted by donors and private patrons—about 20 foreigners donated. Support also came from foreign partners, such as MitOst and The Prince Claus Fund. A portion of the funds raised was awarded as grants to 27 artists who, because of the war, were unable to resume their work and found themselves without permanent income.
By early June, the gallery’s vaults were already storing about 600 works by 25 artists.
Some of the evacuated art is now in Polish and German museums, but will eventually return to Ukraine.
Anastasiia
the fixer
Helps tell the world the truth about Russia’s war against Ukraine
Anastasiia Halushka was working in Italy when the full-scale war began. On February 24, she decided to quit and fly to Ukraine.
“My journalist friend gave my contact info to an American media outlet, and this is how we eventually worked together, making me a fixer for The Washington Post. I didn’t know what fixing was and learned everything on the go. My job is incredibly exciting. This is how it works: a media outlet would send a request, and the responsibility would entirely be with the fixer who needs to pitch the story, find people, bring them together, and so on. This means being a full-time personal assistant, interpreter, organizer, or producer,” says the girl.
Anastasiia is a fixer who specializes in combat operations and flashpoints. She works in the east and south of Ukraine.
“I work with The Washington Post, a major newspaper that is also one of the oldest in the United States. Our journalists are huge professionals, and I have the opportunity to learn something new from them every day, to understand how they interview people, gather information to prepare a high-quality article,” says Anastasiia.
She regards as her achievement a story that was written early in the summer “about it being an artillery war. And, as my fellow journalists told me, it had an impact on continued supply of HIMARS to Ukraine.”
According to Anastasiia, major media outlets already have a fixer database, making it difficult to find a job with them; however, many freelance journalists come to Ukraine looking for someone to assist them. They would usually post requests in Facebook and Telegram groups.
“This is not a mundane job, the main thing is to find your team whom you would trust 100 percent. You keep together 24/7 in the changing circumstances.
It is vital for you to be able to laugh, talk, cry, and support each other,” Anastasiia concludes.
Mykola
and charity streams
plays music and raises money for the AFU
Mykola Komisarenko live streams his music and raises funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The young man has always practiced music:
“Doing your job, playing your music, thinking and implementing interesting projects, planning your future used to be a regular thing. But now I’m focused on helping the country, using the knowledge that I have, being who I am. Apart from the streams, there was a lot of various work to do in the volunteer center at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. I helped wherever I could, both physically and logistically. But I’m not a volunteer. Whenever I am mentioned by this honorary title, it seems to me unfair to actual volunteers. But in any case, I am happy to be at least a little involved in the volunteer movement – I can’t stand aside when my compatriots make the ultimate sacrifice for our common future,” says Mykola.
He managed to raise about UAH 270,000 for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by his streams. “The money was spent to buy a quadcopter for a separate brigade of my fellow countryman who is on the front line now and has generally been fighting since 2014, as well as to buy uniforms, footwear, and ammunition for individual servicemen who are also my fellow countrymen. Some of the funds were spent to purchase materials for 3D printing of periscopes and other items for the military, which is being done by my friend. The fundraising continues. There are goals, so we continue to work,” says the young man.
Mykola’s longest stream took him 12 hours and 100 songs accompanied by the guitar. He is not going to stop until the victory.
NGO 60 Percent & Intermezzo
filtering water for defenders and civilians
Out there on the frontlines, the soldiers’ top priority is to eliminate the enemy. Today, they have to worry about drinking water instead. In some areas, the water is so muddy that even boiling it wouldn’t make it suitable for drinking.
“One of the doctors said that 40% of the soldiers had been poisoned by water from a local well. We talked a lot with the military and said that they couldn’t make it without clean water. People can go without food for two days, have a single protein bar to see them through the battle, but they cannot do without water. Each of them needs at least 2.5 liters per day, and even more on hot days,” the organization says.
To handle the problem, volunteers manufacture and deliver water purification units to the frontlines.
The organization also provides filters to Mykolaiv.
“The central water supply from the Dnipro River was damaged by the invaders in April. It cannot be restored yet because Nova Kakhovka is occupied and because of the continuous shelling. The city had no water at all for a month and a half, and now salt water, completely unsuitable for consumption, runs from faucets. It hurts people’s eyes, leaves white residue on the dishes, and damages the plumbing.
“The city lacks sources of freshwater; the water in the rivers and lakes is salty like seawater. There is bottled water in stores, but buying lots of it for the entire family on a daily basis would be too expensive. Besides, Mykolaiv is a frontline city, shelled each day as if on a schedule. Our mission is therefore to supply Mykolaiv with drinking water,” we were told by the organization.
Watch our video to find out how the project operates and can be supported.
VOLS team
manufacturing special vehicles for the Army
Volodymyr has been a blacksmith for 20 years and, together with a young team, is currently helping the Army by building special-purpose vehicles, known as VOLS buggies, for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Army needs fast and versatile vehicles capable of conducting reconnaissance missions and inflicting quick strikes on the enemy. Volodymyr’s cars fit the description. They are also used for quickly evacuating the wounded from the battlefield. They can negotiate any off-road terrain, ravines, and ditches quickly and easily.
It takes a week on average to manufacture a single buggy.
“Brothers, godparents, and friends who are familiar with the vehicles and are able to work have joined in. The workshop now has eight employees. Engine fitters also help, we commission them to tune up the engines,” says Volodymyr.
People of different skills and ages — from very young to experienced craftsmen — work to produce the buggies, while Volodymyr’s daughter Melisa provides publicity for the project.
“I’ve been involved in business and marketing since I was 18. I have quite a few followers on Instagram. By taking advantage of online marketing opportunities, it’s easier for us to find the right parts for buggies and communicate with foundations. That’s what my job is,” says Melisa.
On her Instagram page, she manages to raise tidy sums, as people send 10 or 10,000 hryvnias. University students in Lviv raised more than 700,000 for the project. They spent 150,000 on the buggies, while the remaining funds were used to buy ammunition, equipment, and medicine.
“One family gave us a thousand dollars. They came from Chernivtsi specifically to bring the money donated by their relatives who work abroad,” say the VOLS team members.
Watch our video to find out more about the initiative.
Kyiv Volunteer
helping children and servicemen
As soon as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, many youth cafes and restaurants revised their operations to meet the urgent needs of their fellow citizens. Kyiv Volunteer, an organization uniting 26 catering businesses and 3 bakeries, thus appeared on February 24. In the first months of the full-scale war, they fed thousands of people every day—from the Armed Forces, Kyiv’s Territorial Defense, the National Police, orphanages, hospitals, maternity homes, and other people in need. The Kyiv Volunteer youth community now continues to implement various projects to meet current needs.
For example, their Make it Warm initiative is a fundraiser for to provide warm military uniforms, equipment, and other devices to protect our defenders from the cold.
Another project, Kids for Kids, intends to build communication and support between young Ukrainians who went abroad and their peers in Ukraine. “Every child who wants to support another child in Ukraine can fill their own box. Put everything in it that they would like to show their friends. Everything that they would like to have themselves. Toys, password notebooks, socks with superheroes, a beloved pebble or shell found on a distant beach, a candy, or a handwritten letter with contacts details. Anything that brings together the two worlds that are distant and yet so close. Something that would help them feel the holiday spirit and be just kids who are sent warmth and love in holiday boxes,” say the volunteers.
Watch our video to find out how Kyiv Volunteer’s operation was launched, developed, and transformed.
Tamara
volunteer, Founder and Director of Every Animal NGO
vegan Kitchen in Ukraine is a project to cook and distribute free vegan meals for displaced people, volunteers, Territorial Defence, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Before the full-scale war, Tamara and her NGO worked on educational projects about veganism and animal rights. These included the Vegan Express course, a series of lectures about veganism and animal ethics for businesses and educational institutions, and a weekly animal protection campaign called Open Your Eyes.
However, after February 24, Tamara decided that most of her projects were no longer as relevant, so she took up other useful causes to help both people and animals during the war. This is how the Vegan Kitchen in Ukraine project began. As part of this project, the organization provides free vegan meals to displaced people, volunteers, and Territorial Defence units.
In addition, Tamara and her colleagues send parcels of vegan food to the frontlines for women and men in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. So far, they have sent over 400 food parcels and are not planning to stop, as the needs of all our defenders need to be considered. Military personnel who receive the food report back that it is not just the food itself that was so important, but the feeling that people with similar views support them and care about them.
Tamara believes that today, every active person who wants to start their own initiative should identify which relevant issues they want to address and how they intend to do it. Then, they should test their ideas and analyse the feedback. Certainly, there will be difficulties along the way, but they should be prepared for them, keep going, and never give up.
Another significant factor that guides Tamara is the care and appreciation of the people she works with. After all, the most important thing is staying human despite such difficult conditions.
Dmytro
and OSINT Academy
explaining how to find information that destroys the enemy
“In order to teach people to handle information, we launched the OSINT Academy YouTube course in 2016, together with the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine and with support from the European Endowment for Democracy, to explain the simplest tools for gathering intelligence from public sources.
Since then, we have conducted 26 training sessions in 19 Ukrainian cities, from Lviv to Mariupol. Everyone in Ukraine is able to verify information. And if someone doesn’t know how to do it, then the OSINT Academy course and a thousand more similar initiatives paid for by Western donors can teach them,” says Dmytro Zolotukhin, Director of the Institute of Post-Information Society and co-author of the course.
During the full-scale war, the course became a supplementary tool for gathering information about the vulnerabilities of the Russian armed forces, state, and society. For example, after analyzing photographs of missile sites, OSINT experts (often called “osinters”), can detect the enemy’s location and forward this data to the military who can attack the enemy.
Yana
and Hospitallers
a volunteer organization providing training on first aid for servicemen and women and civilians
Hospitallers are already a legend. The founder of Hospitallers is Yana Zinkevich. In 2014, she was getting ready to enter medical school, but volunteered for the frontline instead. During a very difficult battle, while being shelled, she made a promise to herself that she would start a medical battalion if she survived.
On July 6, 2014, the Hospitallers battalion was officially formed. Not only did they deliver care themselves, but also set up a training center to teach others how to do it.
“When the great war began in February, we were ready for it. Three months before, I had already been buying additional ammunition, bulletproof vests, medical backpacks, tactical medkits,” recalls Yana.
The battalion’s crews operate across the frontline hotspots, performing their job with high efficiency. The number of servicemen and women rescued by their paramedics has already exceeded 5,000.
Members of the organization are volunteers who receive no remuneration. Their activities are possible because of the volunteers and charitable contributions.
Denys
and Ukraine Frontline Media Platform
working with foreign journalists to tell the truth about the Russian invasion
Ukraine Frontline Media Platform (UFMP) is a coordinating media resource that provides logistical and informational support to foreign journalists in frontline areas during martial law. It also helps to prepare and disseminate the most important and up-to-date information about Ukraine.
“From the very first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, our team at the Public Diplomacy Platform provided comments to foreign media. Eventually, foreign journalists arriving started asking us for assistance finding speakers and stories on the ground. It became clear then that there was a need for systematic coordination,” says Denys Hanzha, co-founder of the UFMP project.
“Whenever a foreign journalist arrives in Ukraine, they must get the most out of the visit, so they can produce ten stories in ten days, and not, for example, five.”
Ten people currently work on the team. They have been able to give more than 250 comments to international media and process about 500 requests for assisting journalists.
“Everyone comes here looking for sensation. Either in the frontline, or in the Office of the President. Some are willing to shoot videos in the hottest spots, whereas others are even afraid to come to Kyiv. I’ve noticed that even when military correspondents who had worked in Iran, Syria, or Afghanistan arrive here, they seem to lack an understanding of how much more serious everything here is. That is why it is essential that we continue talking about Ukraine, telling the world about us. Naturally, this is not the environment in which I would have wanted to work with CNN or the BBC, but I really appreciate the fact that every news item that we help with is watched by millions of people,” adds Denys.
Soloma Cats
charitable foundation
yelping defenders, rescuers, and civilians; focusing on tactical medicine and mine clearance
“A few days before the full-scale war began, when the situation was already quite tense, we met our activists to discuss what we would do. That’s why on February 24, we at least had an idea where we should gather,” said Ksenia, the initiative’s co-founder.
In the first weeks the “kittens” (volunteers) responded to requests by bringing medicine to senior citizens, looking for bulletproof vests for the military, and building barricades. After the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated Kyiv Oblast, the volunteers focused on other areas, cooperating with explosive ordinance disposal specialists and holding training on tactical medicine for the military and for civilians.
For tactical medicine, they cooperate with the Ministry of Health by, for example, holding training sessions for the military, while the Ministry supplies first-aid kits to those who have completed their training.
The charity recently launched a new project — short lessons on mine safety for the public. Valentyn, the project’s co-founder, adds, “These lessons are part of a festival and we offer several activities. Our main goal is to teach, give people the knowledge to detect explosive objects and safely handle them. We also offer other edutainment activities. For example, children are given the opportunity to look for bottle caps with a metal detector or to throw sapper hooks It’s not all about training and safety. This is also about having a distraction, because people need it.”
Pavlo
soldier, animal rights activist
protecting people and animals
Before the full-scale Russian invasion, Pavlo Vyshebaba and like-minded animal rights activists and environmentalists started an anti-fur movement in Ukraine. In only a few years of activity, his HutroOFF Campaign obtained a court ban on the operation of a fur farm in Zhytomyr Oblast, stopped the construction of four new fur farms in Lviv Oblast, and secured a record number of signatures on the Verkhovna Rada website under a petition for banning fur farms. Pavlo’s team also developed a draft law banning fur farms in Ukraine, which is supported by members of the European Parliament from 13 countries.
The HutroOFF Campaign is currently busy rescuing abandoned animals, delivering food, installing feeders in frontline cities and villages, and accommodating the homeless.
“Animals in war is a difficult topic. Their troubles are often overlooked behind the suffering of people, and, like children, they are unable to protect themselves, are especially frightened by explosions, suffer from a lack of water or food, and die even from slight injuries because no one can take them to the vet,” says Pavlo.
Kateryna
and the Ukrainian youth diaspora
helping Ukrainians around the globe
When the full-scale war began, young members of the Ukrainian diaspora across the world joined different efforts to help Ukrainians. As early as the first days of March, the World Congress of Ukrainian Youth Organizations (SKUMO) invited refugees from Ukraine to contact the organization on any matters when traveling abroad.
Youth organizations from Moldova and Romania provided all the support they could at the border and assisted IDPs with any further needs. SKUMO continues to support internally displaced people and refugees from Ukraine on a volunteer basis.
“Our volunteers reached out to the Ukrainians who had provided us with their contact details, clarified all the necessary information, passed it on to those who could resolve their issues, and kept in touch. The work is very stressful and emotionally exhausting, because many Ukrainians who contacted us had escaped from temporarily occupied territories, and have specific emotional pressures. All the work was performed in turbo mode and under great pressure. Some Ukrainians would only call us after crossing the Georgian border, and urgently needed accommodation. We dealt with these requests as well,” says Kateryna Kozak, who heads Svitanok, a Georgian volunteer team.
Volunteers from the Ukrainian youth diaspora around the world help Ukrainians by supplying food and medicine, escorting them around the country, collecting humanitarian aid for people in temporarily occupied territories, and buying supplies for the military. Festivals are also held to unite Ukrainian youth across Europe, who are now forced to stay abroad because of Russian military aggression.
Yevhen
the Ukrainian Forrest Gump
raised a million while walking
From Kyiv to Zaporizhzhia. On foot. Yevhen Tsilyk took on that challenge to raise one million hryvnias for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to help rebuild Chernihiv Oblast.
“I traveled a lot with the volunteers who are currently involved in rebuilding villages in Chernihiv Oblast. They initially delivered humanitarian aid, followed by building materials, to the affected villages. Later, in their free time, they came over to repair people’s houses.” Yevhen himself visited Chernihiv Oblast twice. He spent two months side-by-side with the volunteers, so he decided to help them.
Yevhen walked about 30 kilometers each day. He would spend the night in a tent or with people who invited him to their homes. “This story is a legendary trade of my knees, back, and fortitude for your donations. Yes, I lost a little weight, I may be hungry, cold, soaked by a fierce downpour, and baked in the angry sun. However, I persevered thanks to you, which means I’ll make it,” wrote Yevhen on his Facebook page.
He spent 23 days on the road and is now celebrating his 20th birthday in Zaporizhzhia. On July 31, he wrote that the goal had been achieved — he raised a one million hryvnias.
Lesia
and the community youth council
what would young people do with one million hryvnias?
Night vision devices, military footwear, plate carriers, tactical gloves, cars, tourniquets, first-aid kits for the military — all these were purchased by the Youth Council of the Zboriv City Council.
Before the full-scale war, the local Youth Council advised the authorities on issues directly concerning young people, organized meetings and training, taught, and studied. After February 24, providing volunteer aid to the military was added to their tasks.
“It’s a brand-new experience,” says Lesia Holoiad, chairman of the Zboriv Youth Council. “Before that, we spent money on stationery, board games, office equipment. Now we buy cars and ammunition.”
In addition, volunteers from the Youth Council travel to cities and towns close to the frontline to bring humanitarian aid, which Zboriv residents help to collect, and evacuate people. They even once rescued three adult shepherd dogs by car.
“The core of our organization are high school students. I notice that older people often regard volunteer initiatives with a certain skepticism, trying to understand what is in it for the volunteers. Younger people, however, enjoy being involved in something big and exciting. If nothing else, we will have stories to tell future generations,” added Lesia.
SpivDiia
a mutual assistance community
a platform that brings together seven areas of activity and more than twenty hubs
SpivDiia is an association of different civil society and youth organizations in different regions of Ukraine.
“Some people were businessmen, some worked in IT, some were educators. Some people worked in the civil and public sectors. At the time of the full-scale invasion, these people united around the desire to be useful to the country, so they set up an IT platform. They formed the idea on March 1, and launched the portal on March 5,” says the organization.
“We started operating in the humanitarian field, but more areas were eventually added, such as SpivDiia.Entrepreneurs, SpivDiia.Employment, SpivDiia for Children; legal and psychological support; and shelters. SpivDiia opened offices on the basis of youth centers in 18 oblasts.
“Not only did we manage to set things straight in the humanitarian field, thus dealing with the ‘here and now’ type of problems, but we also launched a number of projects for the longer term. This includes assistance finding a job, support for small and medium-sized businesses, psychological and legal assistance, along with SpivDiia for children — one of our largest projects for psychosocial support and non-formal education for children. This is SpivDiia’s ecosystem — a support network for Ukrainians by Ukrainians.”
So far, in the humanitarian field alone, SpivDiia has accepted more than 90,000 applications from those in need.
Anastasiia
and media for refugees
helping people adapt to a new country
Until February 24, Anastasiia went to school in Zaporizhzhia and was interested in journalism, wrote articles, filmed and edited videos, and ran her “Survival Instructions” blog on media literacy. She talked in simple language about information bubbles, information hygiene, and hate speech on social media. On February 24, a new problem emerged.
Anastasiia and her mom managed to get to Czechia. Without any delay, they started volunteering and approached the humanitarian headquarters where Czechs brought aid for Ukrainians.
“My mom had an idea — gather other journalists from Ukraine, who found refuge in Czechia after the beginning of the full-scale war, and create a media resource for Ukrainian refugees. A newly created editorial office helped refugees adapt, because people have a lot of questions and needed help — how to send their children to school, where to learn the language, how to solve everyday problems if you don’t know the language. This is how the ProUkraїnu media resource appeared, and for this we are very grateful to our Czech colleagues who provided equipment and the premises.
“For me, it is very important to be able to help those who, like me, were forced to flee from the war,” says Anastasiia.
Liubomyr
and the Bucha Youth Council
teaching safety and first aid
The Bucha Youth Council has brought together not only young people, but the entire community. As early as April, immediately after Kyiv Oblast was liberated, young volunteers became involved in the humanitarian support headquarters set up by the municipal authorities.
“Some residents had already returned by that time, some were still hesitant, not knowing what the state of affairs here was. Most were confused. We wanted to offer some support and show that life is being restored here,” says Liubomyr Dzhanov, Chairman of the Youth Council of the Bucha City Territorial Community. Thus, local volunteers decided to create a map of businesses that had reopened and were operational. By using the map, residents of the city could find somewhere to have coffee, a haircut, fix appliances, or find the nearest tire fitting shop.
The Bucha Youth Council is currently concentrating on organizing security training. By making a donation to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, anyone can take first aid training and learn how to use a tourniquet, apply a bandage, stop bleeding, perform CPR, and respond to someone having a heart attack or a stroke.
“These training sessions are intended for all age groups, because we know that safety is now the most important topic. At the same time, we are trying to revive the youth scene. If we do nothing to develop social and cultural spheres in the community and let everything take its course, there is a risk of going back to the 1990s culturally. I wouldn’t want that.”
Liubomyr adds that youth volunteering is driven by a mad desire to bring victory closer, be useful, and to not stand aside.
Iryna
youth center
reviving youth work in the face of trauma
The Chernihiv Oblast Youth Center itself could have a movie made about it. This building witnessed the outbreak of World War II and the restoration of the city afterwards. Here residents of the city listened to music performed by an orchestra, danced, and dated. It was the only municipal cinema throughout the post-World War II period.
Now it is a youth hub. Until February 24, young people could find advice here for choosing a future profession and could attend lectures, festivals, and even rock concerts, as well as movie premieres and book presentations.
However, the youth center building was destroyed by a missile on February 27.
“Despite the significant destruction to the facility itself, the Youth Center’s team continues to work with young people, albeit in a different venue,” says Iryna Simonova, the Youth Center Director. “The youth community became united, because for each of us it was essential to get involved in the activities. It gives you the opportunity to be helpful, involved, to feel that you can do something among the chaos.”
The Youth Center and local active youth began distributing humanitarian aid, managing shelters, and assisting IDPs. However, it is equally important for youth work to be resumed in the new environment, in the face of trauma. The Chernihiv Oblast Youth Center has been busy arranging training sessions for people working with youth. Besides, the Center’s team itself is currently united around the SpivDiia Hub, conducting masterclasses, workshops, and lessons for children and teenagers.
HURKIT
youth center
a scene for local youth and IDPs
The youth center in Varash, Rivne Oblast, was only established last year. The facility was designed as a comfortable platform for young people to meet, build interesting projects, and feel mutual support. Spoiler alert: Hurkit Youth Center is doing OK! But it is not working the way it was initially imagined.
“We panicked in the first days of the full-scale war. Our director immediately joined the Territorial Defense, I volunteered at the newly established volunteer hub, while Viktoriia, our project manager, kept writing letters to international organizations asking for help,” recalls Dasha, the youth center’s (YC) communications manager.
Eventually, they managed to get the YC going, because local guys and girls and IDPs needed support. Therefore, the YC’s focus shifted to training and improving mental health practices. The most important thing, however, was the opportunity to be with those who understand and support each other. Hurkit began transforming into something more than just a center for young people. Here friendships are made, training sessions on medical care are offered, meetings with servicemen and women, business owners, and volunteers are arranged. They also provide training on launching projects or realizing ideas.
Halyna
saving Mariupol residents from invaders
from bread to body bags
In the first days of Russia’s full-scale attack, Halyna and other activists met at a local hub called Khalabuda.
“We were setting up a space for supplies and other things that Mariupol residents, still having memories of 2014–15, immediately started bringing to us. I thought then that we would be helping the military, rather than locals. I could not believe that it was possible for Russia to destroy the city and kill people. Then we developed a plan on how to equip a temporary storage facility.”
Later, together with some small businesses, Halyna and volunteers set up three warehouses for storing food, medicine, hygiene products, and clothes, and started to provide aid to the military and the first victims. Up to 2,000 people passed through the hub each day.
“In almost a month of our volunteer work, 25,000 Mariupol residents received aid, as well as units of the Armed Forces and volunteer battalions, and city and oblast law enforcement agencies. Over a month, more than 200 volunteers gathered around us, some of whom later ended up in Olenivka,” says Halyna.
Volunteers baked bread when there was yeast and gas, using an electric oven fed by a power generator, and eventually would just cook pita bread on the open fire. It was distributed to the military, civilians, and delivered to Azovstal when Mariupol residents were sheltering there and the facility could still be reached.
Food and meals were also delivered to most of the large shelters that began to appear in the city at the initiative of Mariupol residents themselves (in the Drama Theater in particular).
“We helped supply medicine, and eventually body bags to the hospital. When the shells started falling closer, and the first wounded appeared (neighborhood residents, and then our volunteers), we quickly set up a medical corner with sterile materials, a bright lamp, and equipment for suturing. We arranged to have doctors on duty — a pathologist, a dentist, and a veterinarian,” added Halyna.
Halyna managed to evacuate and now she is contributing to Khalabuda’s redevelopment in Zaporozhzhia by offering courses and training and helping the military.
“In Lviv and Lviv Oblast, I also help young people — both local and displaced people, as well as relocated activists from the Azov Sea region — with development training. I use my experience to help others and try not to think about my city,” says Halyna.
Anastasiia
and PR Army
a team of PR men and women who tell the world the truth about Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine
“We joined the PR Army in the early hours of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. By being involved almost every minute, more than 300+ volunteers had a common goal of winning by spreading the truth,” says Anastasiia Popandopulos, one of the co-founders.
The volunteer initiative comprises more than 300 Ukrainian communicators who publish material about Ukraine in more than 2,000 foreign media outlets across 74 countries, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Fox News, and Washington Post.
“We are a community of PR, communications, and marketing professionals from various spheres — IT, mass media, creative industries, education, non-profit, and government. Our coordinators have more than ten years’ experience in global communications. Our objectives include winning the information war against the Russian Federation and its allies, and cementing Ukraine’s reputation as an equal European democratic country,” says Anastasiia.
Among themselves, volunteers call it an agency whose primary and only client is Ukraine. To align the key messages for the public, the team works with the authorities, whilst remaining an independent organization.
The key topics of PR Army’s publications include bringing more sanctions against Russia and terminating business with the aggressor country. “Sanctions, an economic boycott, and oil and gas embargo are also crucial to stopping the Russian invasion. They also frequently write about the need for financial assistance to restore the liberated territories. Another important topic is the forced deportation of children to the Russian Federation.
“Our contacts, narratives and stories have been mentioned in more than 5,000 publications in 74 countries, according to LOOQME. Over the past eight months, we have developed an extensive network of journalists, experts, PR professionals and volunteers, which has become a real informational front,” concludes Anastasiia.
Action Office
an activist community
helping those who help others
Before the full-scale war, Action Office had activists from Eastern and Central Europe and Asia under its umbrella and launched educational projects in Ukraine and Georgia, as well as human rights and advocacy projects for helping the Kremlin’s hostages and Ukrainian and Belarusian political prisoners.
“On February 24, we saw that we might be effective on the volunteer front. In the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, we organized about 60 evacuation buses from different cities and helped to take more than 3,000 people to Lviv and abroad. We also purchased and delivered medical equipment and humanitarian aid to the frontline,” says Action Office.
Eventually, when requests for evacuation declined, the team decided to focus on supporting those who actively help Ukraine, and launched their own scholarship program. Program participants would receive three months’ financial, mentoring, and psychological support.
“It is critical to support our army today, but other issues remain on the agenda. Our scholarship recipients include those who help mothers with children, IDPs, animals, cook vegetarian food for the military, or are involved in cultural projects.
“Today we offer specific tools to volunteers and everyone who has recently begun their journey in public activism or joined to help Ukraine on the frontline. Through events, training sessions, discussions, and other opportunities, we help everyone who wants to become more effective in their work. In the future, we aim to support a network of active Ukrainians in Europe and the world.”
Tetiana
a craftswoman from Crimea
making “embroidered stone shirts” from Nova Kakhovka
Tetiana Bolharova, a craftswoman who left temporarily occupied Kherson Oblast, creates a decorative panel of “embroidered stone shirts” using the 3D carpet embroidery technique.
The “embroidered stone shirts,” often referred to as a miracle of architecture, are located in Nova Kakhovka.
“These are carved and sculpted ornaments that adorn houses. They were created in the 1950s based on the designs by Hryhorii Dovzhenko and other artists. There are 2,000 square meters of Ukrainian ornaments. In recent years, volunteers began to restore this abandoned architecture, until disrupted by the full-scale war. And who knows what it might mean for the ornaments?” explains Tetiana.
The idea to recreate “embroidered stone shirts” using textiles came spontaneously.
“I want to try to support people with my work and thank Kherson region for sheltering us, the Crimeans, earlier. This idea — a textile decorative panel of embroidered stone shirts using a 3D carpet embroidery — came to me somewhat unexpectedly. I can’t work with clay now, but I still have access to fabric. I collected photos of embroidered shirts online, made a wooden frame, and bought canvas and thread. And here it is, the first finished decorative panel, measuring 195×48 cm. It took me a week and 9km of yarn to make it.”
This what Tetiana has to say about Kherson: “My son and I have got used to the city over the past six years and have come to regard it as our own. Now we are refugees again. After leaving Crimea in 2014 with two bags, and stepping out of my comfort zone, I was never able to come back to it. Since the age of six, my son has got used to living without his cozy home. In 2020, I lost both my parents three months apart. Before my eyes, they had lost hope and faith that they would ever live in Ukraine again. And, without hope and faith, there’s no life. In the four months that I spent in occupied Kherson, I saw it in the eyes of many locals.
“I left to get my son out. To change something. To tell the world about Ukraine. To shout ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ and ‘Ukraine above all!’ at rallies. To make Europeans hear and remember this word — Ukraine.”
Oksana
and Guests
an initiative to help internally displaced persons
The Lviv-based project Guests was founded by the Save Ukraine volunteer team, who continue to help civilians and the military. Guests supported internally displaced people during the first, most critical, months of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Guests supported those affected by the war by:
- finding accommodation in Lviv shelters
- finding accommodation for people with special needs (people with disabilities, senior citizens, etc.)
- delivering food provided by the project partners
- providing psychological assistance to IDPs and volunteers in shelters, and organizing lectures and training sessions.
“The team got together through the power of Facebook. We posted a message saying that the team needs help, and found thirty volunteers. There are different people on the team, including an analyst, a broadcast producer, and a PR professional, while the psychological area itself was directly supervised by a psychologist,” says Oksana Kominko, the project manager.
In the first months of work, the main emphasis was on resettling the large number of people who fled the war. Three or four months later, the focus shifted to helping provide food and psychological support, because the flow of people had already decreased.
“The project ended because the current operations became almost irrelevant — there were no more problems with resettlement, the shelters have steady channels for delivering food and other aid by now, and the demand for psychological assistance also fell. We completed the project with warmth and gratitude to each other for all the work done, because we did a lot — for example, we accommodated about 1,400 people and delivered more than 10 tons of humanitarian aid,” concludes Oksana.
Lesia
and the Equal Opportunities Center
from microwaves to critical thinking
The Equal Opportunities Center in the town of Bohorodchany, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, is a civil society organization that helps internally displaced people and women and children affected by the hostilities.
Before the full-scale war, the Equal Opportunities Center developed projects to strengthen gender equality and assist women and adolescent girls.
“From the very first days, we’ve been actively helping \ IDPs who were arriving in the town in growing numbers. At the same time, we tried not to lose our core audience,” says Lesia Klymiuk, the organization’s founder.
They equipped shelters with everything necessary for a comfortable stay, from pillows and blankets to refrigerators and microwaves; they cooked canned food and baked cherry buns, and helped to find doctors, lawyers, and veterinarians. They also currently promote IDP integration and socialization.
“We learned from a survey that 30% of the arrivals intend to stay here for a long time. Therefore, we must create a comfortable environment for them, assist them becoming more actively involved in community life,” says Lesia.
The Center itself found a place (and time!) for a psychological component, including art therapy, sports competitions, and mental relief practices and exercises. They also recently started a course on critical thinking and media literacy.
Lesia adds, “When women or young people come to the events, share their emotions, pain, and experiences, it becomes very valuable for us. We see that they feel comfortable enough to open up. This means we are moving in the right direction. But, emotionally, it’s not always easy.
“I am inspired by the people who came here, and remain humane, open, and move on despite their losses and pain. How can one despair if I personally know activists who have recently left Kherson and are already continuing their work? I am supported by faith in joint victory and our joint efforts.”
Anastasiia
and Career Hub
helping Ukrainians who have lost their jobs
There is no shame in not knowing who you want to be when you grow up. Hesitating to pick a profession, worrying about not knowing what suits you best — it’s not a big deal. It is critical, however, to have someone around you who can help you chose a career.
This was exactly the mission of Career Hub, a platform which helped young Ukrainians find their dream job. With the beginning of the full-scale war, the hub’s focus has somewhat shifted.
“Because of Russia’s war against Ukraine, almost 10 million Ukrainians emigrated to the European Union. Not all Ukrainian employers and companies have relocated. Moreover, some companies had to suspend their operations. The majority of Ukrainians have regretfully lost their financial stability, employment and financial cushion, so restoring this stability, finding a new job, and fulfillment is top of the agenda for them,” says Anastasiia Holotenko, Career Hub coordinator, psychologist, career advisor.
The team thus decided to launch “Career Counselling for Ukrainians,” a customized online career counseling project with career advisors and HR experts from all over Europe.
Those who were forced to leave their homes needed not only job advice, but also psychological support. Career Hub offers these opportunities to everyone.
“During the war, I am supporting young people’s mental health by organizing an online psychological support group. I help 55 young people to better cope with their difficult emotional states,” says Anastasiia.
Pavlo
public figure, volunteer. He chairs a public organisation called The Centre for the Development of Street Culture
Before the start of the full-scale war, Pavlo was a music producer and a leading representative of street culture. In his recording studio, he helped to create Ukrainian performer Wellboy’s hit song Geese. Pavlo also chaired a public organisation called the Center for the Development of Street Culture, which gave meaningful leisure opportunities to young people from provincial towns.
February 24 changed his life, as well as the lives of many others. Now Pavlo is one of the most active and effective volunteers in the Okhtyrka region. He focuses on buying protective equipment for the military, as well as thermal imagers, binoculars, first-aid kits, and humanitarian aid for civilians.
Together with his friends, Pavlo makes utility pouches, buys medicine, and puts together first-aid kits for the military. When the community experienced active fighting, Pavlo and the city’s youth brought humanitarian aid to the elderly and worked with people he knew and partners from abroad to raise funds for the Ukrainian Army.
In March, during some of the most difficult days of the full-scale war, when Russian occupiers bombed Okhtyrka, Pavlo and his friends came up with an idea to create Hero City merchandise, using a drawing of a locally made Molotov cocktail called a Bandera Smoothie. In Okhtyrka, people made them to defend themselves from Russians using bottles of Okhtyrka beer, the most commonly found containers in the city. Now t-shirts with this art are in demand far beyond Okhtyrka and are even being ordered from other European countries. Money from sales partly goes to cover the needs of the Ukrainian Army and Territorial Defence forces.
Pavlo says he is inspired and motivated by people. Many of his friends are now at the frontlines, so he wants to help them as much as possible and wants them to know that people on the home front are very worried for them and doing their bit to help.
The main lesson he has been able to learn is that we should never forget the people who allow us to wake up peacefully every morning.
Dmytro
master of sports of Ukraine, International Class, member of the Ukrainian cross-country skiing and biathlon team for people with visual impairments
charity Foundation Each of Us is a Champion
Dmytro is an athlete, and his life was earlier determined by a strict sports regime, which included a healthy diet and appropriate amount of sleep, in order to prepare for the 2022 Paralympic Games. After February 24, volunteer work was added to his portfolio. Now it is not always possible to have enough sleep and the right diet; however, the end still justifies the means.
When Russia began waging its full-scale war against Ukraine, Dmytro succeeded in becoming a champion and multiple-time bronze medallist at the XIII Winter Paralympic Games, held on 4–13 March 2022 in Beijing, China. The athlete was able to use his victory to help the Ukrainian Army by selling his medal at a charity auction for $5,300, and all the proceeds went to the Army.
Moreover, Dmytro and foreign athletes were able to provide medicine and first aid kits to the military.
The foundation with which Dmytro cooperates also transports humanitarian aid. From mid-April to the end of May, they delivered about six tons of humanitarian aid and medicine from western Ukraine to Chernihiv for the Ukrainian Army and civilian population.
During the full-scale war, Dmytro realised that nobody, even if he or she works for a good cause, can help everyone, but people should not let that stop them.
Dmytro’s faith in the Ukrainian Army and the President and his desire to live in Ukraine help him continue his work in sports and volunteering. He is motivated by his faith in victory and his country. He advises other activists to continue strengthening their indomitable spirit, to surround themselves with sincere people and, as hard as it may be, to find something positive in things or actions.
Vladyslav, Daria, Maksym, Denys
Youth Council team under the Sumy Regional State Administration
Volunteers from Sumy Oblast report feeling that time has been moving slower since February 24, and each minute has its own price. The war changed their plans, and new challenges emerged. However, the young men and women still feel optimistic, as they see the results of their work.
They developed a Telegram bot, which helps people find information from reliable sources. The bot has 11 sections with well-structured information: What Works in my City?, Official Sources, Emergency, Psychological Assistance, I Heard the Air Raid Siren, Evacuation, Assistance, Traffic, Searching for Work, About Us, and Feedback.
From March to July, @SumkaRegionBot reached more than 25,000 users and has saved people in critical situations several times. For example, thanks to the bot, one girl was able to find hard-to-reach medicines for her grandmother. Drivers spend less time searching for fuel, as they can fund out which petrol stations can refuel their cars at a particular time. The bot has helped people who had been forced to move to Sumy Oblast better adapt to their new homes.
These success stories strongly motivate the development team and inspire them to continue their work. Even when it’s hard, they always remember what they’re working for. They advise other activists to take care of themselves and take time to re-energise, because nobody can help others if their inner resources are exhausted.
Yuriy
Zakhody public organisation
Before February 24, Yuriy lived in Mariupol. He had his own business, home, and car. When the full-scale war began, he lost it all. Now he lives in a shelter in Mukachevo and helps other people who have also fallen on hard times due to the war.
Yuriy dedicates almost 90% of his time to work. In April and May, his organization helped alleviate humanitarian challenges and sent humanitarian aid to those in need, supporting over 300 people.
In May, Yuriy and his colleagues opened centres for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Khmelnytskyi and Mukachevo and began renovating a summer camp for children, youth, and parents. The first guests are expected to arrive in August.
Given the difficult circumstances, Yuriy recommends that Ukrainian activists seek to work even more effectively and engage new partnerships and new people. However, people should realistically assess their own strengths. According to Yuriy, in wartime it is natural for everyone to want to do every job; however, people should do things that match their abilities, to contribute the most to the cause.
Yuriy’s personal motivation is knowing that people who are hiding in basements or are under shelling cannot do the things that people in relatively safe areas can. In Yuriy’s opinion, the military on the frontlines is defending us so that we can work on the home front.
Kateryna
Youth Council of the Trade Union of Railroad Workers and Transport Construction Workers of Ukraine
Kateryna, a female activist from Zaporizhzhia, says that at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, nobody knew what to do and how to respond. In the first few days, the cohesiveness of their volunteer team helped them to collect warm clothes, raincoats, shoes, and sleeping mats for Territorial Defence units in Zaporizhzhia and Polohy; help arrange checkpoints; weave camouflage nets; find utensils; and collect food.
From the first days of the invasion the volunteers helped to evacuate local residents and later organized the evacuation of railroad workers and their families from the Zaporizhzhia railway station.
From mid-March until early June the Zaporizhzhia Trade Union collected and delivered humanitarian aid to railroad workers who remained in occupied and frontline territories, mainly in Polohy, Huliaipole, Orikhiv, and Komyshuvakha. The young activists unloaded, transported, and sorted the humanitarian cargo.
With foreign partners’ assistance, the youth council volunteers delivered first aid kits, water purification tablets, power banks, walkie-talkies, and tactical equipment to railroad workers who joined the Ukrainian Army. Now the organisation helps railroad workers who moved from occupied areas to Zaporizhzhia.
Together with her colleagues, Kateryna succeeded in getting help from foreign volunteer organizations who arranged the delivery of humanitarian aid from abroad. This made it possible for Zaporizhzhia volunteers to deliver aid to Chernihiv Oblast.
Kateryna believes that everyone has their own “frontline”, but all do one thing: bring us closer to victory. We make history here and now, and it’s up to us to decide what it will be.
Natalia
volunteer, artist
Natalia says that there is almost no difference between her life before and after February 24, as even before the full-scale war, she was actively engaged in volunteering and public activities, combining them with her job and sports. After February 24, Natalia has even more tasks.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Natalia has been sorting and sending humanitarian aid and advising IDPs on a hotline, but later on, she understood that she could do more.
Now Natalia creates and sells paintings, and donates the proceeds to the Army. She organises charitable and awareness-raising events with her colleagues and helps IDPs as part of a UNHCR project.
Now she is most proud of the Angels at War project, a diptych painting which consists of two pieces. It was sold for 20,000 UAH at an online auction, and all the proceeds went to the needs of the 4th Mechanised Infantry Battalion, an independent grenade launcher platoon, and the Independent Presidential Regiment.
On of Natalia’s closest acquaintances, someone who always believed in her and supported her creative work, was on the frontline, which served as Natalia’s personal motivation. It is also inspiring for Natalia to think that she is participating in a great cause, that her contribution matters, and that she encourages others through her own deeds.
To keep her spirits up at this difficult time, Natalia keeps a notebook of gratitude and continues to take part in sports. She also advises others to always keep in mind only positive scenarios, refrain from delving into failures and mistakes, move on no matter what, and always remind yourself that you are the driving force and have great influence and importance in society.
Mykola, Andriy and Mykola
Kvadrat Vinnytsia Oblast Youth Centre
On February 24, Vinnytsia activists felt that their life took a 180-degree turn. They had to control their fear and shock, clear their heads, and spring into action.
During the first days of the full-scale war, the two Mykolas and Andriy began taking part in the volunteer movement in their hometown of Vinnytsia by first weaving camouflage nets and helping to coordinate humanitarian aid. Later on, they all began organizing their own activities for the community.
Mykola Sh noted that while adults were busy volunteering, many children became bored while staying with their relatives. He came up with an idea to help keep the children busy. He organised a group where children can make origami, watch cartoons, and interact with each other. Later on, adults also decided to join the groups.
In parallel, Mykola Sh gathered a team that make items with Ukrainian symbols, and organized charity auctions with the proceeds going to volunteers, the Army, and internally displaced people (IDPs).
Mykola St. focused on coordinating humanitarian aid. To prevent volunteer burnout, he organized training on first aid, how to manage panic attacks, basic military knowledge, tactical training for volunteers, and teambuilding.
At the same time, Andriy initiated the Vinnytsia regional headquarters for humanitarian aid. Internally displaced people, military personnel, and anyone else in need can receive assistance there.
People in the Youth Center assembled periscopes for looking around corners or from trenches without exposing yourself. They were made using the center’s equipment and 3D printers.
The activists believe that it is important to engage youth in charitable and volunteering activities that can bring Ukraine closer to victory and recommend that everyone develop new skills that can help society.
Kateryna
director of the Youth Initiative Center, Chairperson of the Youth Council under the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast State Administration
Kateryna oversees the Youth Center in a small city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Before February 24, the organization implemented different projects to support and integrate young IDPs who arrived in the community after Russia invaded Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts and Crimea in 2014. One of their projects, Your POWER is to Turn Ideas into Reality, was supported by the U.S. Department of State and the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX). They also had other initiatives in the works.
The Youth Center now supports internally displaced people (IDPs), sets up shelters, and provides humanitarian aid. It also organizes volunteer work and conducts non-formal educational activities for young IDPs and activities to help integrate children and young people in the host community. An important focus is also placed on activities to improve the psycho-social state of children, adolescents, and young people, particularly IDPs.
The Center works to empower and strengthen the capacity of IDPs in the community and develop IDP integration plans.
Representatives of the Center believe that looking out for yourself and taking time for friends and family is just as important as helping and volunteering. Overwork can lead to emotional exhaustion and burnout.
Tetiana
volunteer, doctor, first aid trainer, founder of the UniSafe project
“There are no safe places in Ukraine right now, and every able-bodied person should know how to provide first aid”, Tetiana says. She holds first aid training courses for civilians and the military. Her personal motivation was the horror she felt when she saw the pictures of the wounded who could not get help until an ambulance arrived.
“The full-scale war has brought a lot more work”, Tetiana states. She has several areas of volunteering: first aid training, building the blood donor movement, supplying individual medical kits, and collecting supplies for military medics. She continues to work as an anaesthesiologist at the regional hospital in Dnipro.
Tetiana conducts three training courses on average per week. Before the pandemic, she would hold three courses in a month. Many online training courses and medical conferences have been added to her workload. In the space of four months, Tetiana has taught over two thousand people to provide first aid. Now she trains civilians and the military in Dnipro and visits military positions.
Together with her team, she developed an app to train soldiers in tactical combat casualty care. TacticMedAid helps soldiers learn in the field.
Understanding that we are here for the long haul helps Tetiana the most. The war will not be over in a few weeks. Tetiana constantly reminds herself of this when she feels ashamed of being tired. Sometimes she allows herself little joys, like a cup of coffee at her favourite café, a new dress, or a trip with her husband. These are things that help her recharge. After all, you can’t help anyone if you are exhausted or ill. Tetiana encourages everyone to feel free to relax when you can, because now Ukraine needs you more than ever.
Kostiantyn
volunteer, mural artist
Before the full-scale war, Kostiantyn created street murals and painted churches. He says that after February 24, he hasn’t noticed any significant changes in his life, except that more work and more fear has appeared. The war has brought Kostiantyn new projects and introduced him to new people with different ideas and advice.
Kostiantyn created a mural called “Beauty will not be patient!” Different organizations asked for his picture for their products, and he donated a portion of the proceeds to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is how Kostiantyn uses his creativity to volunteer.
He continues to create murals and will not stop, especially because so many people say his work inspires them. He likewise feels inspired by people—his girlfriend, friends, parents, and even people whom he does not know.
Kostiantyn says he always tries to see plans and ideas all the way through. You can overcome all difficulties, there is no need to give up. You have to do your job. Even when it becomes difficult, you must wait a little and the result will surely come.
Vladyslav
volunteer, owner of Raffl’s coffee house
Vladyslav, a coffee house owner, believes February 24 has completely changed his life. It was a new and scary reality, in which you must quickly adapt to the changing circumstances. That day made the phrase “life is precious” as profound as never before. Vladyslav has completely changed his outlook on life, family, and friends. They have become a strong team that helps those in need, a team that will always support each other.
Doing business has become far more difficult, but Vladyslav is trying to hold on and keep growing: paying taxes, pleasing guests, providing new jobs, and supporting his staff.
His company continues to adapt to such stressful conditions and is learning to live in the new circumstances.
In the first month of the war, they gave all their profits—27,500 UAH— to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and volunteers. Vladyslav’s coffee house also provided over 3,000 free cups of coffee and tea to the territorial defence, police, and the military.
They still give part of their profits to the Armed Forces and volunteers.
Vladyslav is grateful to his staff and proud of his baristas who were brave enough to work a few days after the invasion and made hot drinks for our defenders. The war showed how beautiful our nation is and the kind and brave people we are.
According to Vladyslav, words of encouragement and smiles from their guests help them the most joy now. Their motto is “never give up and keep doing everything that brings us closer to victory.”
Pavlo
soldier of the 73rd Maritime Special Operations Center, call sign “Historian”
Pavlo always spent a lot of time on self-development and wanted to educate a new generation of young people to take responsibility for the county. Therefore, he decided to become a teacher and chose the Department of History and Philosophy. His students loved and respected him. The school administration would sometimes receive applications from parents asking them to persuade him to stay in the school because he was “a genuine history teacher”.
Since 2017, he had been actively involved in organizing and conducting patriotic events in Cherkasy Oblast. He initiated annual events for the Intercession of the Theotokos in Kholodnyi Yar, the Yuriy Horlis-Horsky Winter Campaign, and the Torchlight Procession in honour of Vasyl Chuchupak.
In 2020, he became the founder of a patriotic public organization to educate responsible young people. As a coordinator in the organization’s Volunteering and AFU Cooperation Department, Pavlo worked closely with the 93rd Independent Kholodnyi Yar Mechanised Brigade.
On February 24, he joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a volunteer soldier in the 73rd Maritime Special Operations Center. Pavlo participated in combat in Mykolaiv Oblast beginning in May 2022.
Pavlo died on 18 June 2022 as a result of enemy shelling. He was cremated, and his ashes were scattered at Kholodnyi Yar tract in Cherkasy Oblast.
As part of the United 24 initiative of the President of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth Sports has already opened a special account in the National Bank of Ukraine. This fund was established to cover the reconstruction of the sports infrastructure destroyed and damaged by the war and to develop modern world-class sports complexes.
This platform section was created in the framework of UNITY (Mriemo ta diemo) program in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and NGO SAAD.
UNITY (Mriemo ta diemo) program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IREX in partnership with Building Ukraine Together (BUR), Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR Ukraine), Making Cents International (MCI), International Republican Institute (IRI), and Zinc Network.
This page is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and IREX and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
