July 27
447 total evacuations this week
38,235 evacuations to date
Against all odds, the teams we support increased help going into the occupied territories particularly around the city of Kherson. Our evacuation teams have also been able to evacuate more people out of Kherson area. We hope to share more information about these operations in our next newsletter. This week one of the evacuees shared her story with Pavel’s team:
My name is Nastia. I’m from the village Myhalovka near Vasyllivka. For four months, I lived under Russian occupation. I have had to go through many bad feelings. Our village remained intact, but many other villages experienced frequent missile attacks, frequent sounds [of bombings], explosions, and plus Russian soldiers… who were just a constant presence. They weren’t treating people well; they pressured businesses, taking away people’s property, their stores, grain – everything.
In what state was the city before you left?
Since they were staying in the village we were luckier than other villages.
What did you feel before you left?
Joy, because I was going home, and fear because you don’t know how it would go. I saw how they were walking – they were like swine, they drink, throw trash, and they have absolute power, but when you see your own people, it’s an unrepeatable feeling.
How you were getting food, water, gas?
At the start, when the Russians first came in, we didn’t have any food. We thankfully had some reserves stored up. Then, they started to bring them in. But we still used our own reserves. Russian products were not great quality, close to expiration date or expired. We were also lucky that we were able to get food from Berdyansk and Melitopol’, so we ate our own food, essentially. Then Ukrainians opened a mill and people brought flour to make bread for the surrounding villages, helping our own.
What do you want to tell the world about what is happening in Ukraine?
It’s an injustice. We are regular people. I’m 20 years old. Why should I leave my home, go somewhere else? How am I somehow worth less than, say, someone in Russia? I don’t wish any harm to anyone. Just the opposite– I want everyone to live in peace, kindness, love. I just don’t understand why do this. I don’t understand not just from a military standpoint, but from a civilian one. There’s so much negativity toward our nation, our people from everyday Russian civilians. Just for nothing.
Ukraine Team Milestones
Karina supported the evacuation of 119 people.
Pavel’s team evacuated 328 people, as the evacuations remained at the escalated levels from Mykolayiv, Kharkiv, Vinnitsa and Zaporizzhya, due to Russia’s ongoing bombardments of civilian areas.
In the meantime, Pavel shipped massive amounts of aid across Ukraine. Ukraine TrustChain funds help cover the transportation expenses, while the aid itself is usually sourced from other charities and international organizations.
A small fearless team that has works with Oleksandr Davydiuk managed to push three tons of aid to the Siversk, Kramatorsk, and Bakhmut region to the areas within 2 miles of the most active battle zones.
This week we completed funding the transportation of 120 tons of humanitarian aid that went to various organizations within Mykolayiv, Kryviy Rih, Uman’, and Dnipro. Some of the aid was redirected to the existing UTC teams of Pavel Shulha and Inna Kampen.
Inna Kampen managed to provide help to 7,240 people and their families, distributing more than 30 tons of aid. UTC has started funding aid deliveries for Inna Kampen group’s on a regular basis.
Dina Tkachenko Vilny Liudy Vilna Kraina distributed 1,500 family packages, while continuing to run a food distribution center in Kharkiv feeding 800 people daily.
Our water delivery operation continued in Mykolayiv. Unfortunately due to vehicle problems, the volunteers had to switch to a smaller vehicle, and although they still managed to deliver 25 tons of water, they may need help with expanding their transportation capabilities, either through a repair or a purchase of a new vehicle.
Timur's team delivered over 500 packages of aid. They delivered 200 to Bezruki, 100 each to Tzirkuni and Tishki and the remainder around Saltivka. They tried to go to Triskuni seveal other times, but the fighting and shelling were too intense.
Over the last two weeks, Andriy has finalized the set up of the new warehouse facility that will resume operations at increased capacity next week.
Andriy’s team has also established a program to help children from refugee families, particularly large families and families with children with special needs. Andriy’s charity foundation arranged for ophthalmological and dental services for 150 children and will help with clothing and shoes for the upcoming colder season for 1,000 children.
We continue to fund transportation expenses for the mobile clinic Angelia. This week they visited a refugee camp in the village near Vinnitsa and received 92 patients.
Ukraine TrustChain continues to support a small refugee support operation in Smila near Cherkassy, helping 50+ refugee families a week there.
Volunteer Raves
While food security remains a critical issue for thousands of refugee families across Ukraine, the situation on this front has improved around Kyiv, particularly in the villages where people have had their own food storage and private gardens. Our Kyiv team led by Kseniia has shown true thought leadership by organizing hundreds of volunteers in rebuilding efforts in the rural areas around Kyiv, teaching and helping local villages rebuild roofs and walls damaged by indiscriminate enemy bombardments. This work unites multiple volunteer groups mostly independent and not working with Ukraine TrustChain who find ways to collaborate and share resources and knowledge, building a stronger new Ukraine.
One of the more colorful pages in this process were the “volunteer raves” where major efforts to clean up debris in destroyed school and village halls happen to the beat, with DJs setting up legit sound and blasting music as dozens of volunteers work together while dancing and hanging out. Volunteers told us this format allows them to ease the unfortunate guilt that arises when they experience the ordinary joys of pre-war life. Watch the amazing footage of these raves here.
We are proud that Kseniia’s group and new organizations formed by members of her team such as livyj_bereh have played a key role in launching the reconstruction effort around Kyiv despite the lingering risks of repeat invasion.
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