Volunteering in Ukraine

Our Graphic Designer Eloise has just returned from a short volunteering trip to Ukraine. Here's her report:

'I previously went to Kyiv in 2018, when russian* aggression had already started in Donbas, and I always wanted to return. Unfortunately, however, Kyiv is out of reach with the air space being closed so I decided to go to Lviv in Western Ukraine, about 80km from the Polish border. I have a special bond with that beautiful country and when the full-scale invasion started it deeply affected me. I wanted to visit again. The trip was carefully planned and I was very pleased that my friends and colleagues were so supportive. The main focus was volunteering, but I also wanted to explore the city and find out how people manage to live under such challenging circumstances.

'I was lucky to stay with a lovely couple who welcomed me with open arms, who were kind to open their door to a stranger and who have since become good friends. This gave me the opportunity to see how the war affects them - how daily tasks are made more complicated, how they adapt and carry on, how they would keep me safe and how they would help me practise my language skills.

'On the surface I discovered a vibrant city where people try to live a normal life. Bars, cafés and shops are open and people are out and about, but even if Western Ukraine is supposed to be the safest part of the country, you are quickly reminded that it is a country at war. There are noisy generators of all sizes everywhere, usually on pavements, so businesses can carry on working when the electricity cuts out as russia has continued to focus on destroying Ukraine's energy infrastructure this year.

'There are also military funeral processions, which are heartbreaking. Whenever a procession passes by, everything stops and people kneel down to honour the fallen… and they happen almost daily. And there are air raids alerts of course, which can happen at any time. My first one was a bit scary as it happened in the middle of the night, and even if my lovely hosts told me not to worry, I wasn’t sure what to do. Then I quickly learnt how to read the threats on a dedicated Telegram page which tells you what’s flying from where and where to, and whether you need to go to a shelter or not.

'One day we had three of them – at 2am, 7am and 9am – the latter a major one with the whole country being on alert, with objects heading in multiple directions. Most of you will know what happened next as a children's hospital and a maternity unit in Kyiv were hit. It was a very strange experience to see it happen live while being in the country, reading on the page thread, and seeing the comments of russians in the immediate aftermath. But that is the reality for Ukrainians.

'It was on the day of that tragic event that I had to leave Lviv, with a long journey back to Poland. I left with mixed feelings of joy and sadness; in a few days I had met so many interesting people with stories of sorrow, hope and fortitude, generous people, resilient and strong in the face of incredible hardship. Ukrainians are so inspiring and resourceful and they truly deserve all our support. I know for sure that I will return.

'To explain the photo selection, one of my priorities was to visit the Field of Mars where soldiers are buried. It was emotionally heavy and I find it hard to write about it. The oldest grave dates from the first days of the full-scale invasion, while the newest graves are from just a few days ago… The sheer size of the field hits you. Amongst the sea of colourful flags, each grave has a photo of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, which makes it even more heartbreaking. Some of these men are so young, many in their early twenties. Each grave has a bench next to it, so loved ones can sit and reflect. I saw groups of people chatting, a widow crying, a young boy asking his older sister questions…

'There are some volunteering centres throughout the cities where anyone can help. You can make camouflage nets or trench candles, or you can prepare food to be sent to the front line. I met some interesting people there, for example a group of old ladies who were blind yet were still making camouflage nets. Everyone is very kind and insists on feeding you. That’s a Ukrainian thing, because during Holodomor people simply didn’t know when the next meal would come…'

United24 is the initiative of the President of Ukraine and the official fundraising platform of Ukraine, and you can choose an initiative to support here.

*The spelling of 'russia' and 'russian' without a capital 'R' is deliberate and is not considered incorrect when referring to them in Ukraine.