March 28, 2024
60,353 people evacuated from danger to date
155 people evacuated from danger this week
38 trips into the deoccupied and frontline territories this week
This was an incredibly difficult week for Ukraine. Immediately after the so-called victory in his so-called elections, Putin and his armies unleashed a new record streak of rocket attacks and bombardments. First, our Kyiv friends came under fire. Kyiv’s air defense units shot down every single missile, but the missiles’ deadly debris still injured 17 people.
The next day, Kharkiv was hit with 20 ballistic missiles. This time Russia seems to have partially accomplished what it has been trying to do for two years-partially destroying Kharkiv’s energy infrastructure. The city now has daily 4-6 hour blackouts, and cell phone service in Kharkiv goes in and out. We are keeping close contact with Kharkiv teams, making sure they have the resources needed to help others. In the same streak Russia also hit Odesa and Kryvyi Rih, as well as bombed another major dam on the Dnipro River. Although tired and angry at this continued terror, our teams continued their work, somehow finding additional strength to respond to these new challenges.
Stories
Agricultural Project Year 2
Though many thousands of Russian bombs and shells have done their best to disfigure the land, covering it with shrapnel, landmines and burnt vehicles, burning grass, cutting down trees, turning away birds and killing animals, spring is still spring even in a warzone. As the sun shines warmer, nature is waking up, and Ukraine TrustChain is starting to distribute aid that will help Ukrainian villagers plant their gardens.
Thanks to the generous donations from our community, Inna’s and Pavel’s teams have purchased seeds, and ordered seedlings from Ukrainian greenhouses. We will be distributing seeds, potatoes for planting and seedlings later on. Our goal is to cover more than 10,000 families in frontline zones. Our deep connections with local communities allow us to make sure that every recipient is carefully vetted and truly needs our help. We are grateful for being able to provide such meaningful help again this year and will be reporting on this project in the coming weeks and months.
Help in the Occupied Territories.
340 packages were distributed in 4 cities in the occupied territories and 11 people were evacuated from the Russian-occupied left bank.
Story of a Volunteer. Ludmila from Kamyanske
Every Sunday, our volunteers in Kamiansk dedicate themselves to important work, and we'd like to share the inspiring story of one of them: Lyusya Mykolaivna.
Lyusya Mykolaivna is 69 years old. Upon learning about our organization’s humanitarian aid programs, she eagerly signed up to participate. She joined the “Help Achieve Victory” initiative and found it deeply fulfilling. Inspired by the opportunity to both receive and give help, Lyusya Mykolaivna dedicated herself to helping others.
Lyusya Mykolaivna had lost of her child, which caused her immense suffering. However, she has since discovered a new purpose in life through her dedication to serving others.
Currently, Lyusya Mykolaivna actively engages in all of our programs. She assists in distributing bread on Mondays and participates in our efforts to support the disadvantaged, individuals with disabilities, immigrants, and families with many children on Tuesdays. Additionally, she prepares food every week for the attendees of our charity dinners, which typically attract between 50 and 70 people.
Lyusya Mykolaivna expresses her happiness and fulfillment with her current endeavors, stating, ‘I am so happy now. I am busy, and people need me. I find great satisfaction in doing something for others, and I derive immense pleasure from witnessing the gratitude and happiness of those I help.’
Natalia’s Trip to Lyman
Late last week Natalia traveled to the Lyman region where the enemy continues to destroy what remains of the villages there. One could hear pride in Natasha’s voice as she described the scale of this expedition that brought aid to more than 480 families. Three of the villages, Rubtsi, Lozove, Korovii Yar are relatively far away from the front with more than 400 families living there. Two other villages – Stavky and Shurove are almost completely destroyed, and the deliveries there have to be carefully coordinated.
In the same week our other teams (Dobra Sprava and Karina’s group) brought water and food, while Natalia focused on household chemicals, detergents, and more. The aid delivery was smooth, although Natalia took videos of the distant explosions in the fields she saw as she was driving in the area. We continue to receive grateful messages from aid recipients.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra Sprava (“Good Cause”)
14 trips and 142 people evacuated from Lyman, Mykolaiv, Druzhkivka, Kostyantynivka, Kurakhivka, Selydove, Kramatorsk, Myrnohrad, Novohrodivka, Pokrovsk, Kherson.
Inna’s Team – Krok z Nadiyeyu (“Step with Hope”)
Bread deliveries continued, reaching 9,500 people.
8,200 people received aid.
20.6 tons delivered in 40 towns.
Work in Kherson:
Performed disinfection in 1 building;
Exterminations in 28 buildings including one humanitarian hub;
30 equipment maintenance tasks performed.
Distributed aid in Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Slavyansk, Balakliya, Nikopol.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S (Boyarka): Delivered and distributed 4.5 tons of food products to Dnipro, Nikopol and Ternivka (both in Dnipropetrovsk Region), and Zarichne and Mykolaivka (both in Donetsk Region). Delivered 9.5 tons of food products to the Sumy Region communities of Krolevets, Kam’yanka, Romashkove, Chapliivka, Stare Selo, Pysarivka, Kovtunove, Seredyna-Buda, Prohres, Znob-Novohorods’ke, Hlukhiv, Slout, Bachivs’k and Sobych. Brought 2.5 tons of aid to the Kyiv Region. Delivered 8 potbelly stoves from Oster (Chernihiv Region) to Boyarka.
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): delivered 35 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv and 7 tons to Kherson.
Vitaliy Z (Kharkiv): delivered 2.5 tons of humanitarian aid to New York (Donetsk Region) under heavy shelling. Aid included 350 food packages, clothes, parcels from relatives, literature for invincibility points, a powerful generator and medicines for the Konstantinivska Infectious Disease Hospital. Distributed 1.5 tons of aid in various locations around Lyman (Donetsk Region) and delivered an all-terrain vehicle to Kholodnyi Yar (Cherkasy Region).
Oleksandr D (Lutsk): Held an 8-day "Peace in the Midst of the Storm" program for 150 internally displaced people (IDPs) and people who have suffered physically or emotionally from the war, including low income people, people with disabilities, children of IDPs and children from large families. Attendees also received 230 food kits.
Oksana K (Lutsk): provided diapers to the seriously ill mother of a soldier. Supplied an IDP family with 15 kg of aid (food, clothing and a backpack). Sent a refrigerator to a charity for children with disabilities.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): held 3 art therapy sessions for 81 IDP children, children with disabilities and children from military families. 180 children with disabilities and children from large families received humanitarian aid, attended cultural events and a museum and participated in wilderness skills activities.
NGO Angelia
Brought 2,200 kg of household appliances, mattresses and groceries from Adendorf (Germany) to Kyiv for further distribution in the east.
Brought 2,000 kg of used goods – clothing, wheelchairs, bed and mattress, refrigerator and 4 ultrasound devices – from Munich and Möckern (Germany), to Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Mamaivtsi (Chernivtsi Region).
Kseniia’s Team - NGO Livyj Bereh (“Left Bank”)
4 houses restored in Slatyne.
140 packages distributed in riverside villages of Posad and Bilozerka.
Darya reached Kutkivka and Kurylivka delivering 60 packages, evacuated 2 people.
92 packages delivered to Blyzniuki.
Darya’s group is helping families after massive bombardments of Kharkiv last week, but due to cell phone outages wasn’t able to communicate details in time.
Karina’s Team - My ryatuyemo Ukrainu Dnipro (“We Save Ukraine Dnipro”)
In collaboration with the Dobra Sprava team, delivered humanitarian aid to the town of Stavky in the Lyman region, helping 85 families that remain there 10km from the frontline.
Sent hygiene products and blankets to 30 of the families who suffered from recent attacks.
58 people staying in the shelter.
Tetiana’s Team - Dopomoha Poruch (“Help is Near”)
Distributed 150 aid packages in Mykhailivka, Cherkasy region.
Timur’s Team – Timur i ego komanda (“Timur and Team”)
Distributed aid packages to 350 people in Saltivka.
Special home deliveries to 30 disabled elderly.
Distributed 400 flashlights after the Russian attacks that resulted in constant blackouts.
Pavel and Olena’s Teams - (“Touch of Heart” and “Dawn of Hope”)
1,805 people received aid in Mykolaiv, despite significant shelling of the city.
Delivered 1.5 tons of water to Luch.
Distributed seeds in Partyzanske and Barativka in Kherson region.
Kirill, Marina, Andriy - BF Pomahaem (“We Help”)
1,600 packages delivered to Novopavlivka, near Donbas.
Took 4 trips to Kharkiv region interviewing 523 people.
Natalia’s Team - Vyshnia Volunteer Center
Natalia completed a major trip to the Lyman region delivering aid to 480 families in 5 villages on one of the most dangerous segments of the front.
Marina’s Team – Good Give Ukraine
116 elderly people received aid in Saksahan territorial community.
34 packages were sent to different parts of Ukraine to those who suffered from war.
Dina’s Team -- Vilni Liudy – Vilna Krayina (“Free People - Free Country”)
Distributed 380 packages, mailed 100.
Sergey T traveled to the town of Bohuslavka near Kupyansk, twice delivering 700 packages (8 tons) of aid.
Bogdan’s Team - Vse robymo sami (“Doing everything ourselves”)
On March 21st, in celebration of World Downs Syndrome Day, “We Do Everything Ourselves” hosted an event for children with Downs syndrome. The day included activities such as trampolines, rides, mazes, and entertainment by animators. Children enjoyed food provided during the event and received backpacks filled with sweets afterward.
42 families received aid this week.
How to Help
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