Scooters for Kharkiv, Ukraine, Social Workers

In April of this year I had the privilege of visiting Kharkiv, a major city in Ukraine in the east of the country near the border with Russia. Its citizens are subject to missile and aerial glider bomb attacks on a very regular basis (they explode without warning due to the absence of air defences) and suffers regular power cuts due to Russian attacks on its electricity supply infrastructure. Despite all this families and people of all ages are trying to live life as normally as possible

I visited city social work staff in one of the District Offices with the head of the social workers union Lyudmilla Plactun (pictured), and Ivanna Krapkho of the State Employees Union. There I saw the amazing work of staff striving under conditions of war to provide the type of services for vulnerable people that we would recognise in the UK.

I was told that many social workers (there are 350 in Kharkiv) undertake visits on bicycles and that effort is being made to supply them with scooters - an aspiration beyond the budget of the city administration who are struggling with the impact of the war across the region, and the presence of 120,000 refugees. Said trade union Lydmilla Plactun: "Kharkiv Social workers typically travel long distances from their regional centres to visit people - up to 15km.  If we could help with the supply of a few scooters it would greatly help their wortking conditions. The trade union's work over such matters grows all the time."

Inna Misyura social worker 

This Crowdfunder follows an online meeting when I outlined what I witnessed in Kharkiv that was of interest to Scotland's social work community- this was hosted by the Scottish Association of Social Workers, and promoted by UNISON the union, and Social Work Scotland, the Leadership organisation for the profession. 

The Crowdfunder will commence with a modest target that will enable purchase of a Scooter, but it is hoped that it can be extended to purchase more. I would urge you to support this practical act of solidarity with colleagues in Ukraine.

84 yr old Maya Lind outside the ruins of her home near the border with Russia