Helping those helping Ukrainian defenders

Aim: Raising money to support the work of volunteers in Ukraine helping those that are protecting my family and millions of other Ukrainians.

Who?

Hi! My name is Masha, I'm Ukrainian (that's little me and my family in the coloured photos!) and will be using this page to raise money for Ukraine! 

Why? 

I was not only born but also grew up in Ukraine, and in 2022, russia launched a full-scale invasion of my home. While I have been fortunate that I am safe and unaffected outside of the Ukrainian borders, that cannot be said about my family and millions of Ukrainians that are back in my home country, who are living through the horrors of missile and drone air raids (they even made an interactive map: https://alerts.in.ua/en), as well as power cuts and outages. 

Having run the Berlin Half Marathon on Sunday 6th April, the time when I will be running around the streets of Bristol during the Bristol 10k on May 11th is now slowly approaching. I am taking part in both of these races to raise money to help volunteers that are providing aid to those working tirelessly to protect my country. As someone once said, ‘it’s better to donate small amounts of money to many causes, as even the smallest of amounts can make a difference’, therefore all funds raised will be split equally between five charitable and volunteer organisations in Ukraine that support our heroes on the frontlines. They are not only protecting their own families, but millions of others too, including my own.

So where will the money go?

While there are many well-known Ukrainian charitable organisation, I have chosen those that might need the support a little more. They are all close to my heart and I unequivocally believe in their work and everything they do, and I hope you will to: 

Hospitallers - volunteer paramedics saving wounded soldiers on the frontlines and evacuating them to the hospitals, due to being a volunteer initiative, they do not receive government support and therefore rely 100% on donations. Find out more: https://www.hospitallers.life/about-us

Future for Ukraine – charity helping Ukrainian soldiers with prosthetics, surgery, rehab and long-term treatments. They have also launched a program providing psychological support to women who faced sexual violence from russian military. Find out more: https://ffu.foundation/en/about-us

Veteranka – organisation supporting female veterans and active military personnel. They produce and supply women’s military uniforms, as well as supply medical aid and technical equipment. Find out more: https://uwvm.org.ua/en/

Frontline Care – volunteers that equip Ukrainian soldiers with gear, first aid kits, bulletproof vests and cloths, working closely with units involved in active combat. Find out more: https://eng.frontline-care.com/

Dzyga’s Paw – charity directly supplying Ukrainian soldier units with high-tech equipment such as drones, portable power, vehicles and hardware tools. Find out more: https://dzygaspaw.com/

Your donations, no matter how big or small – can help these charities and volunteers to save lives and support those that are sacrificing everything and fighting to not only keep Ukrainians safe but also to protect the integrity and sovereignty of my home.

All photo credits for the photos used in the project image go to my parents' photo albums, @libkos (instagram), @dsns_ukraine (instagram), @hospitallers.ukraine_paramedic (instagram), as well as other media outlets.