Volunteer Initiative “Help Civilians in Ukraine”

Who we are

We are a grassroots volunteer initiative that sources and delivers medical supplies (e.g., for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy, and mental health disorders) primarily to Kharkiv civilians but also to some members of the military. 

Our group includes Kharkiv puppet theatre actors Dasha, Valerii, and Pavlo; theatre director Roza Sarkisian; historian and theatre curator Oksana Dudko; Ukrainian language teacher Olha Kovalchuk; and other casual volunteers. 

What we do

We buy medical supplies in Warsaw and Lviv and distribute them in Kharkiv. In Warsaw and Lviv, Roza, Oksana, and Olha collect donations, purchase medical supplies, and ship the supplies to Kharkiv. In Kharkiv, Dasha, Valerii, and Pavlo collect and distribute the supplies to homes of local residents (and occasionally to military outposts). They also collaborate with local doctors who help to prepare prescriptions.

We accept donations of funds and medical supplies to support these volunteer activities. 

Where we help

We distribute medical supplies to the city of Kharkiv, which is 40 km from the Russian border and the second largest city in Ukraine, and adjacent areas. We also occasionally deliver supplies to Lviv and Kyiv. Kharkiv has been bombed and shelled from the very beginning of the Russian invasion, and it has been partially destroyed by the Russian army. The situation in Kharkiv remains unstable, and we continue to help vulnerable civilians who are unable to or do not want to evacuate. 

Why this initiative started

Volunteer Initiative “Help Civilians in Ukraine” was created during the first week of Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Roza Sarkisian, a Kharkiv theatre director who is currently located in Warsaw, was trying to deliver medication to her elderly grandmother, mother, and uncles who were still in Kharkiv. Unfortunately, large humanitarian convoys had a hard time reaching the city because of constant shelling. 

After speaking to other local residents, we realized that it was not just Rosa’s family who were struggling to access essential medications and medical supplies. There were many people in Kharkiv who needed medical supplies but had difficulty accessing humanitarian aid because of limited mobility, lack of knowledge, and other barriers. That’s when we decided to organize a mobile network that could deliver small batches of medical supplies quickly and directly to residents of Kharkiv without having to navigate bureaucratic red tape or rely on third parties. Today, Volunteer Initiative “Help Civilians in Ukraine” provides an additional network of care and support, which is especially crucial during the war when many families have been separated and prewar networks of support have been disrupted.

Why help us?

By donating to our group, you will help to ensure that vulnerable civilians with chronic diseases in Ukraine receive the essential medical supplies they need to survive the war. You will also contribute to creating a horizontal network of intimate support and care for the people of Ukraine. We believe that global solidarity and intimate human connection matter during all times but especially during war. 

Why help Volunteer Initiative “Help Civilians in Ukraine” instead of a large humanitarian organization?

Our volunteer initiative “Help Civilians in Ukraine” is especially well-poised to provide meaningful aid to vulnerable residents of Ukraine because…

• We care deeply about the people of Ukraine because our own families and friends are also under constant threat.
• Our help is targeted and assists individual people whose faces you can see on our website.
• Our smaller size allows us to be agile and mobile so that we can deliver aid faster. Our small, agile network of care and support also plays a critical role in building sustainable communities that can respond quickly in an emergency.
• We can quickly deliver medical supplies to locations that large humanitarian convoys have trouble accessing. After months of continuous experience, we know how to effectively navigate Ukraine’s dangerous war landscape.
• We know how to reorient our supply chain if a previous line of delivery has been disrupted.
• We don’t have large overhead costs, so even a small donation can have a big impact. For example, just $20-50 USD can buy medical supplies for one civilian for a month or more.
• We post financial reports online so that you can trace exactly how your donation is used.

FAQs

Why don’t you make your initiative an official organization?

We are a group of theatre professionals and scholars, and although we care deeply about supporting fellow Ukrainians, we are not aiming to became professional aid workers. We are desperately hoping for this war to end (and for territorial integrity, peace, and safety to be restored in Ukraine) so that we can return to performing on the stage and conducting research.

There are other volunteer initiatives that are providing aid in Ukraine.  Why don’t you join them instead?

Because of the war, we developed a small, agile network of care and support. Even though there are similar initiatives in Ukraine, we believe that intimate connections, care, and support provide essential aid to people, especially during war. This is why our aim is to not only deliver medical supplies but also develop grassroots networks of help and care that are immensely important in times of violence, destruction, and constant threat of death.