February 1, 2024
59,028 people evacuated from danger to date
146 people evacuated from danger this week
38 trips into the deoccupied and frontline territories
Upon returning from her trip to Donbas this week, Anastasia shared the chaotic scenes at the aid distribution in Illinivka. Despite extensive preparation to ensure swift and safe distribution, anxious local residents gathered ahead of time and nearly stormed the volunteer trucks when they arrived. Residents yelled and pushed, though eventually order was restored and aid distribution was successfully completed.
Anastasia’s voice was raspy after a day of screaming, and she seemed embarrassed by this story. But to us, this was further proof of the acute need experienced by Ukrainians all along the frontlines. And even though we wish people would evacuate away from the bombardment zones, we can’t help but marvel at the resilience of those who remain true to their home and towns in the face of unthinkable hardship.
Stories
Firewood Deliveries Continued
We continue to deliver fuel briquettes to frontline cities in the East. Last week, 4 trucks (88 tons) of fuel briquettes were delivered to two districts of the Toretsk community (Zalizne and Shahta Pivdenna) and to Toretsk itself. To date, this project provided 294 households with 500 kg of fuel. The simplicity of these words hides the brutal complexity of implementing such projects in the active war zone.
Our teams are working with the local administration taking the safety of volunteers seriously. The place of unloading the trucks changes every time and for good reasons. After the unloading two weeks ago, a radio beacon was found at this location, which marks targets for enemy artillery.
This week, on January 25th, Vitaliy decided to take a detour using a side street one block away from the main road. Around that time, the main road got 'hit,' and if he had not turned, the shrapnel would have riddled his bus. “This is how God saves volunteers in the war who rush to extend a helping hand to others,” writes Oleksandr in his report. They sent the videos of the incident that we are planning to share on our social media.
Also, the day prior, Vitaliy and his team, after distributing fuel briquettes, also took humanitarian aid to Avdiivka, which is half-encircled. They brought 1 ton of food, medicine, and clothing for civilians and the military.
Starting next week, we are expanding firewood deliveries to three more directions in the Kherson and Kharkiv regions.
Delivering Firewood to Izyum Region
“The need for firewood is great. There is no water, no gas, as the gas pipes are completely perforated by shrapnel, and the only heat comes from stove heating. Multiple NGOs had collected lists of people who particularly needed help, but none of them managed to come through. People only received help from us.
People were very happy with the firewood brought, as it's very cold in their homes. They walk around the house in padded jackets, sleep fully clothed and with their shoes on, and it's very damp. People cried from happiness when they saw the firewood that was brought."
Occupied Territories
Eight people were evacuated from Russian-occupied territories on the left bank. This week's evacuation involved several particularly difficult and expensive cases. One 70- year-old grandfather was left alone when his family fled the country but he wanted to stay behind. He fell and sustained injuries which weren't properly treated. Crying from pain, he was finally evacuated, but is fighting for his life in the ICU. Somehow he has retained his sense of humor.
Another woman refused to leave behind her many dogs and cats even when her house was flooded. Because of that it was hard to find anyone willing to evacuate her, but our volunteers finally did.
They provided help to 280 people in four towns in the occupied zones.
Kherson Chronicles from Oleksandr Ushkan
“This week, when the heating was finally turned on in the Ostriv neighborhood, the pipes burst, leading to the flooding of six apartments. During the breach of the Kakhovka Dam, the first floor of this building was flooded, but during the heating pipe burst, the second and third floors were flooded as well. The apartments are already very cold. You can see your breath, and now this additional humidity. Dryers were installed to dry out these apartments and to make life easier for the residents of these apartments.
One of the owners of the flooded apartments was Nina. Honestly, as I listened to this woman's story, I had tears in my eyes. The woman buried her son, buried her grandson, her house was completely destroyed by a shell from the left bank, and now she lives in her sister's apartment which was flooded after the heating was turned on. I didn't even know what to say…"
Vegetable Deliveries
In early December, Pavel’s team delivered vegetables to the villages around Mykolayiv and Kherson. Each family received close to 100 pounds of vegetables per family which, based on the team’s estimates, should have lasted these families 6-8 weeks. Their assessment was right, and now Pavel’s team is repeating the deliveries. Last week 32 tons of vegetables were delivered to 700 families in villages around Mykolayiv. 25 tons were delivered a week earlier. While these vegetables are not the only source of calories for the villagers, who are supported by the larger volunteer community of Ukraine, it is substantial assistance that helps entire communities, giving them confidence in these difficult periods as the battles rage across the river less than 40 miles away.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra Sprava (“Good Cause”)
15 trips and 156 people evacuated from Lyman, Kostyantynivka, Myrnograd, Toretsk, and Kherson areas, as well as Kramatorsk, Mykolaiv, Slovyansk, and Pokrovsk.
Inna’s Team – Krok z Nadiyeyu (“Step with Hope”)
22.5 tons of aid provided to 7,970 people.
Bread was delivered to 9,500 people.
59.2 tons of firewood were delivered to 37 families in villages near Barvenkovo and to Borova.
Kherson operation:
Performed exterminations and cleanup in 11 buildings;
Performed 28 maintenance tasks.
300 water packs distributed to villages around Nikopol.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S (Boyarka): delivered 1,500 kg of humanitarian aid to four villages in the Sumy Region, coming within 400 meters of the Russian border! Held a charity event for children of underprivileged families in Vyshneve (Kyiv Region), at which gifts and treats were handed out to 15 families. Received 30 packs of water and 3 packs of energy drinks delivered from Myla (Kyiv Region) for further distribution to front-line zones. Repaired and sent an ambulance to the front lines in Zaporizhzhia.
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): delivered 28 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv and 7 tons of water, plus 2.5 tons of apples and other humanitarian aid to Kherson. Received 6 tons of aid from Odessa for further distribution to Mykolaiv and Kherson.
Sandra S (Odesa): kitchen fed more than 2,300 people.
Oleksandr D (Lutsk): delivered 88 tons of fuel briquettes to 294 households in the Donetsk Region settlements of Shakhta Pivdenna and Zalizne and in Toretsk. Delivered 1 ton of groceries, medicine and clothing to Avdiivka (also Donetsk Region).
Oksana K (Lutsk): sent a 30 kg package to a hospital near Kupiansk (Kharkiv Region) and a 5 kg package to the Bakhmut area.
Tetiana P (Lutsk): delivered 1,800 kg of humanitarian aid to Kherson Region villages of Molodizhne, Posad-Pokrovske, and Naddniprianske.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): Held 3 art therapy sessions for 57 children with disabilities, internally displaced (IDP) children and children from large families. An additional 268 people received assistance with food, products, support for the elderly and those with disabilities, gifts for children from shelters and visits to museums, theatrical performances, and puppet theaters.
Kseniia’s Team - NGO Livyj Bereh (“Left Bank”)
1 roof completed in the village of Slatyne.
Svitlana’s group in Kherson delivered 171 packages – 99 to Vysuntsi and 72 to Pryozerne.
We helped equip the team with armored vests as Kherson continues to suffer from daily shelling.
137 people helped with building materials in Kharkiv through Darya.
Darya also delivered packages to 90 people in villages near Kupyansk.
Karina’s Team - We Save Dnipro
Distributed medicine to 70 families in Nikopol.
62 people live in the shelter.
Timur’s Team – Timur and Team
Brought aid packages to 140 people in North Saltivka.
Distributed aid to 320 refugees from Kupiansk who recently arrived in Kharkiv and are staying in a dormitory residence without many resources.
Delivered aid to 150 people in Kivsharivka as the closest villages came under shelling from the Russians again.
Pavel and Olena’s Team - Touch of Heart and Dawn of Hope
Mykolaiv office provided assistance to 1,580 people.
699 families received 31.7 tons of vegetables.
1.5 tons of water delivered to the village of Luch again.
40 packages were distributed to children with disabilities in Mykolaiv.
Andriy’s Team – BF Pomahaem
299 packages were delivered to families in and around Kramatorsk on two trips to the area.
124 packages were delivered to Vozdvizhivka - a frontline village in the Zaporizhzhya region.
The team also made four trips to Zaporizhzhya collecting information for the German government which uses Andriy’s NGO as a trusted vetting partner for its planned aid distributions.
Natalia - Vyshnia Volunteer Center
The Kryvyi Rih team headed by Tetiana distributed aid to 180 families to the village of Osokorivka on the eastern edge of the Kherson region.
Marina’s Team – Good Give Ukraine
150 food and aid packages distributed in Piatykhatky.
Marina's team started weekly counseling sessions for internally displaced people. This is what Marina says about this initiative: "This event will strengthen the sense of unity and community among internally displaced persons, giving them not only a sense of security, but also a positive attitude and faith in their future."
Dina’s Team - Vilni Liudy – Vilna Krayina
380 packages distributed and 100 mailed out from Dnipro.
Bogdan’s Team - Vse robymo sami
Interior finishing in the administrative part of the "House of Joy" continued this week - work was done on the walls and windowsills.
Parents of children with disabilities had a psychological support group this week, and there was another one for children displaced by war.
Children with disabilities enjoyed their art and cooking classes.
Aid was given to 42 families.
Anastasia’s Team - LoveUA
Delivered 480 humanitarian aid packages and pet food to Illinivka.
Alena’s Team – Virgo
Completed installation of 84 windows in 41 households in the towns of Kotlyarovo, Shevchenkovo, and Novoruske.
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