September 19th, 2024
64,726 people evacuated from danger to date
161 people evacuated from danger this week
48 trips into deoccupied and frontline territories this week
Last week Ukraine TrustChain teams took 48 trips to frontline regions, in addition to making dozens of aid distributions to internally displaced people (IDPs). One notable accomplishment: Alena restored water supply to several villages in the Kherson Region (see story below). There are were many other highlights. The report from Inna’s team alone last week was a whopping 33 pages, describing in detail the team’s progress across 27 cities. We couldn’t fit everything in this newsletter, but also stand ready to provide you with any additional information if you or your friends have questions about any aspect of our work.
Stories
Everyday Heroism in Kostyantynivka
Inna’s volunteers continue their weekly distributions in Kostyantynivka. These ordinary but incredible people are so used to the horrors of the war that they seem almost unaware of their own heroism. Here are their quick updates from last week:
The shelling is getting worse: artillery, guided air bombs, drones. [A shell] fell right by the gates of the house where we distribute aid, and we had to repair the roof during ongoing shelling. 200 meters away, another glide bomb landed and we had to repair the roof again. Then on Saturday, an explosion just lifted our volunteer and his car, as he was driving — he didn’t even have time to get scared…
…Helped Nadezhda Aleksandrovna. Two explosions near her house, the windows, doors, even the doorframes got blown out. She is immobile, needs diapers. We covered up her windows with plywood.
Restoring Water Supply in Three Kherson Region Villages
The Diva team delivered six generators and six submersible water pumps to provide drinking water for the residents of three villages in the Kherson Region: Shyroka Balka (600 people), Stanislav (approximately 1,000 people), and Aleksandrivka (approximately 300 people). The wells have drinking water, but the villages are under constant shelling and bombardment, so there is a great need to pump the water quickly and distribute it to the people who spend most of their time hiding in their basements. These towns were previously under occupation: the people there have no jobs, nowhere to go, and little access to resources. They rely on the local alderman, who procures aid from multiple volunteer organizations as best he can.
Wildfires in the Kharkiv Region
Last week we reported on the ongoing fires near Izyum, in the Kharkiv Region. The fires started in mined groves and fields around the village of Studenok and destroyed hundreds of homes in this community. Following our fundraiser, two of our teams have traveled to the village. Inna’s team provided propane gas tanks for cooking and essential items, while Serhiy Tiora from Dina’s team brought in shovels, buckets and rakes needed for the cleanup.
Vladimir, a volunteer on Inna’s team, shared this observation:
We saw the scale of the disaster, but we also sensed that people are not giving up hope. The situation clearly weighs them down, but talking to them, you see that they are all in high spirits. One of the reasons is that they don’t feel abandoned. Besides us, other teams are bringing tools and building materials [as well]. All this aid tells people that they are not alone. That’s the most important thing.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this limited-time fundraiser on our social media.
Help in the Occupied Territories
270 packages were distributed in occupied territories. Evacuations from the Russian-occupied left bank have recently become more complicated and risky for the volunteers. Therefore, the volunteers have temporarily paused evacuations while they assesses the situation.
Evacuations around Kup’yans’k
The last couple of weeks have been challenging for Timur’s team. The increased combat in that East, coupled with the increase in bombardment, has led to a slew of evacuation requests. While the team sometimes evacuates one or two people, this week they evacuated 12 elderly residents from Kivsharivka and Kup’yans’k.
Everyone who’s stayed this long has their reasons and stories. One of the grandmothers was originally from Russia, but had lived in Ukraine for many years. She was concerned that she might not be get evacuated. Another grandfather was raised an orphan after both parents were killed in World War II. He knew the impact of war all too well. Several older women had initially not wanted to leave because their children had been killed by Russia, either as civilians, or while serving in the Ukrainian military. Having lost their children, they felt that their connection to the land was all they had left.
Team Summaries
Alina’s Team – Dobra sprava (Good Deeds)
Evacuated 144 people over the course of 17 trips from the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove areas.
Inna’s Team – Krok z nadiyeyu (Step with Hope)
20.6 tons of aid distributed to 8,250 people.
4,000 loaves of bread delivered.
Deliveries took place in 5 frontline regions of Ukraine, from Kherson to Kharkiv in 28 cities (full list available upon request).
Kherson operations:
Performed extermination in 9 spaces.
Refueled 12 generators.
Continued aid distributions in Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka, which are less than 10 miles from the enemy now (see story above).
Aid delivered to Kramatorsk, Sloviansk and Mykolaivka. The road to Sloviansk is about to be cut off by Russia.
Delivered propane tanks and tools to Studenok — deoccupied village near Izyum suffering from wildfires.
Delivered aid to Kup’yans’k - another key frontline city east of Kharkiv.
Delivered aid to Nikopol and Maksymivka.
Oleksandr D’s Volunteer Networks
Oleksandr S (Boyarka): report for 3 weeks. Delivered 2,600 kg of aid to Velyka Rybytsya, Zapsillya, and a dispensary in Myropillya (all in the Sumy Region). Due to the intensity of enemy shelling, the team could not directly enter Zapsillya and Myropillya and had to hand over the aid. Delivered 2,300 kg of food and clothing to 250 disabled people and their low-income families in Chornomorsk (Odesa Region), and another 2,300 kg of aid to 200 families in the dangerous Korabel Island neighborhood in Kherson. On the way back from Kherson, took 1 person to a rehabilitation center.
Vladyslav K (Mykolaiv): delivered 35 tons of drinking water to Mykolaiv and 7 tons to Kherson.
Andiy P (Mykolaiv): brought 2 minibusses from Germany, along with 900 kg of aid, including beds, mattresses, household appliances, dishes, clothing, a washing machine, shoes, and bedding. One of the buses was unloaded in Mykolaiv and will be sent further east for evacuation of wounded. The other was sent to Lutsk.
Sandra S (Odesa): kitchen fed more than 1,000 people. Last week Odesa experienced severe flooding, but fortunately the train station and kitchen were unaffected.
Vitaliy Z (Kharkiv): delivered 3.5 tons of humanitarian kits, clothing, medicines, and animal feed to Lyman. Proposed evacuation to the locals. Delivered 2 tons of aid near Chasiv Yar.
Oleksandr D (Lutsk): Oleksandr’s volunteer Vadym T brought 800 kg of food for children – muesli, corn flakes, and instant porridge – from Germany. The aid was unloaded in Lutsk, to be distributed further east in following weeks. The team is also repairing a minibus brought by Andryi P, in preparation for handing it over to Vitaliy Z in Kharkiv.
Oksana K (Lutsk): helped widows, including 2 families of killed service members, with diapers, food, and hygiene products. Sent a 20 kg package to the area near Kharkiv.
Oleksandr Z (Lutsk): provided therapeutic interventions and aid for IDP children and adults, children with disabilities, and children from military families and from large families.
Held 3 art therapy sessions, working with a total of 81 children.
Visited the theater with 54 IDPs.
Spent the holiday in an educational rehabilitation center for 24 autistic children and held a master class for 16 children.
Helped 230 IDPs and 50 children and young adult students with bread and other food.
Provided 78 physical therapy and wellness sessions for IDPs, as well as other persons suffering from stress.
Distributed clothes and shoes to 76 elderly people and IDPs.
Kseniia’s Team — Livyj bereh (Left Bank)
Darya evacuated 9 people last week: married couple from Monachynivka (husband had a stroke recently), cancer patient from Burluk, and 6 people Dvorichna.
Closed up 21 windows in Kharkiv.
Delivered 70 aid packages to Kutkivka and Kasyanivka.
Karina’s Team — My ryatuyemo Ukrayinu (We Save Ukraine)
150 people in the shelter.
Tetiana’s Team — Dopomoha poruch (Help Is Near)
Distributed 135 food aid packages and cleaning/hygiene products to newly displaced IDPs in Smila.
Timur’s Team — Komanda Teymura Alyeva (Timur Alyev’s Team)
Evacuated 12 elderly from Kivsharivka and Kup’yans’k.
Delivered 120 aid packages to Kup’yans’k.
Distributed aid to 231 people in Tyshki.
Pavel and Olena’s Teams — Dotyk sertsya (Touch of Heart) & Svitanok mriy (Dawn of Dreams)
65 packages delivered to Novohryhorivka.
Delivered 1,003 tons of firewood and fuel briquettes to:
Novohryhorivka (75 families, 22.5 tons)
Myrne (70 families, 21 tons)
Lubomyrivka (98 families, 29.4 tons)
Partyzanske (101 families, 20.3 tons)
Pomahaem Foundation (We Help Foundation)
14 tons of water were delivered to Nikopol.
5 trips to Donbas villages to vet cash-aid recipients (Hryshyne, and Mykolaivka).
150 packages delivered to Lysohirka and Bilen’ke in Zaporizhzhia Region.
Marina’s Team — Daruy dobro Ukrayina (Give Good Ukraine)
In Zhovty Vody, 150 food and hygiene packages were distributed to IDP families and elderly individuals.
Dina’s Team — Vilʹni lyudy, vilʹna krayina (Free People, Free Country)
Distributed 585 packages of aid in Dnipro, Kanev, Krasnokutsk, Kremenchuk, and Poltava.
Mailed 100 packages from Dnipro.
Bohdan’s Team — Vse robymo sami (We Do Everything Ourselves)
42 families received food and hygiene kits in Zhytomyr.
This week the team finished the installation of a solar power system at the inclusive center House of Joy. Now the center has energy independence, which is very important during the war, when electricity is not available 24/7.
At a club for children with disabilities, children took part in a psychological relief session and an art class, and tried quad biking.
Alena’s Team — Diva (Virgo)
Brought sets of yogurt and milk for the children in Shyroka Balka (170 children) and Sofiivka (30 children).
Delivered 6 generators and 6 submersible water pumps to provide drinking water for the residents of three villages in the Kherson Region: Shyroka Balka (600 people), Stanislav (approximately 1,000 people), and Aleksandrivka (approximately 300 people).
How to Help
Donate — The money goes directly to teams providing aid on the ground, who respond dynamically to the most urgent needs.
Fundraise — Organize fundraisers at your school, work, place of worship, with friends and family, etc.
Spread the word — Share our website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Fill out this form if you’re interested in volunteering with us, and we’ll let you know when opportunities come up.
Download and print our flyer. Ask your local coffee shop if you can add it to the bulletin, or use it as part of your fundraiser.