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Supplies for Ukraine - Romania to the front line
Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Aim
To buy items in high demand for Ukraine. From Romania, working with local NGOs and Ukrainians to ensure well chosen, cost effective support
Update: Thank you everybody for your support! This has been very successful and everything we bought is currently in Ukraine. Iryna from the red cross and her contacts are very grateful, they were quick to take it all when the order arrived. Any donations received from now will go to a charity in Romania which is working around the clock to help refugees. It is called the Sinca foundation.
From Iryna: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10224388898744305&id=1660605371&m_entstream_source=permalink&refid=52&ref=m_notif¬if_t=tagged_with_story&__tn__=-R
The three of us have spent a week helping however we can in Sighetu Marmatiei, a border crossing between Romania and Ukraine. Perhaps because comparatively few refugees have come here (there is still a constant stream) the logistics to deliver supplies into Ukraine is fairly smooth.
NGOs in Romania receive donations in their warehouses, drivers of all nationalities arrive there with a list of what they need, volunteers load them up, and the drivers form a convoy towards a warehouse nearby on the other side where they drop it all off. Ukrainians from around the country collect supplies from there, including the army, distributing up to the front line.
Having volunteered at the warehouses, and spoken to many Ukrainians and NGOs, we know what is in highest demand, and how serious the need is. We have started this fundraiser to buy sleeping bags, thermal layers, and torches, which are consistently requested and taken to people on the front line. There are other things of course, but for now we will focus on these so we can make a bulk order and get a discount, rather than spreading our funds thinly.
Suntem Vocea Lor (We Are Their Voice) is the local NGO we’re working with. We will place orders to their warehouse, and they will handle transport and ensure it reaches where it is needed. Besides seeing their effectiveness for ourselves, locals have recommended them in particular. We believe this is a very cost effective way to support people in Ukraine, and want to be transparent to reassure you your donation will be well spent. We will take photos from here and if possible, get some from Ukraine. If you have questions or doubts, please ask.
Anticipating some possible questions:
Why not food?
A lot of food is being continuously donated. As we expect to raise significant funds, we are concentrating on more expensive items, out of reach of many individual donors but still highly necessary and specifically requested.
Why not medicine?
Medicine is in high demand but the most essential items are less available to the public. If we receive more than we expect we will look at ways around that, or consider donating to an organisation that can order medicine.
Who are Suntem Vocea Lor?
A local organisation working to help all sorts of people in need within Sighetu Marmatei: Children and adults with disabilities, victims of trafficking, victims of domestic violence, substance dependencies. They have been supporting refugees on arrival 24 hours a day since day 1.
What if we exceed our target?
We will treat your donation responsibly and direct it where Ukrainians and NGOs tell us it is needed. We have a network we trust and we want to facilitate their work where they have various bottlenecks, so whatever amount we receive we will be able to optimise its use. That might include orders for different supplies and contributions to fuel costs.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you can make a donation, please do it soon so we can make the order as soon as possible. Tiago, Conor, and Al
(Photo of the good people of Suntem Vocea Lor kindly offered by Silviu Filip/Inquam Photos)
This project successfully funded on 23rd March 2022