Helping Ukrainian women and children.

UPDATE: 

My aim of providing a safer registration and verification system for women and children arriving in Poland is still the number one priority. This addresses the dangers related to human trafficking and safety. I have worked with multiple private organisations, NGOs, tech companies and Ukrainian politicians to lobby the case and achieve this. The process is long and full of barriers at the national government level.

Very little help is coming from the central government or large NGOs. Vast majority of help and funding is provided by self organised volunteers, ex army veterans as well as private international organisations. Donations everywhere (both goods and money) are drying up, hence I am being cautious with spending.

My target since day one has been to channel funds and help directly to those most in need. Initially, the focus was on helping Ukrainian women and children at humanitarian centres in Poland. Number of people arriving in those centres has dropped down from a peak of 5,000 per 24hr to around 500 now in Przemysl. The level of support in Poland has also improved. Hence, I have been refocusing my attention on more direct help elsewhere. 

This has included:

- Support at both Medyka and Shehyni border crossings with essential food items, water, rain ponchos and emergency blankets.

- Support for Poland Welcomes (formerly Unitatem) with goods as well as provision of skilled labour (plumbers, painters, DIY expert etc.).

I hope that all of you who have supported the project so far agree that direct impact help is the best way of spending the fund raised money. 

Over the last two weeks my focus has shifted towards direct help for vulnerable women and children in Ukraine. 

Primarily orphanages where children cannot be evacuated legally because they are not property of the state. I.e. their parents are either unconfirmed dead, or alive but cannot take care of them due to mental health issues or addictions.

I have partnered up together with three fantastic women on a mission to help in the same way: A, N and L. 

In addition, we are also helping women's centres, nursing homes, hospitals and entire villages. 

We aim to make the process of direct help requests to delivery as efficient as possible. I.e. complete and deliver an order in 48-96 hours as opposed to 2-3 weeks average time. The food and medicine deliveries save lives and our turnaround time is as fast as it gets. To maintain this efficiency funding is required. 

Every request is verified by A, N or L and requires official stamped paperwork. It is then passed on to our fantastic sourcing team who collect the goods. Once collected, goods are then picked up by the strong transport team and delivered all over Ukraine. From Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk to Cherkasy and Poltava. 

The goods are a mixture of non-perishable foods, medicines, clothes, hygiene items and cleaning products. Some can be sourced directly from humanitarian centres, others are donated by private investors. Medicines are incredibly hard to source.

Funds raised will be used on:

1. Topping up the specific orders with purchases of food, hygiene products and medicine. Will be looking to buy these in bulk. Also, covering the cost of fuel for those transporting. The number of drivers who can deliver goods for free is almost non existent after over six weeks of war. None of them ask for money. They give their time and require petrol coverage only.

2. Support for humanitarian centres and border crossings with items in need. Same set up as before.