“Everything broke in my head, soul and body. You are alive but you don’t feel alive.” A Ukrainian military leader spoke movingly of those suffering from the war: depression, anxiety, PTSD, and the challenges for some in adapting to lost limbs. “For these guys it’s a long process. They need to find a reason to carry on
living.”
Life remains precarious with ongoing attacks and limited access to medical care. The UN’s Refugee Agency (the UNHCR) says that 3 million internally displaced Ukrainians are seeking shelter anywhere. They are crowding into barns, classrooms, basements and any available shelter they can find.
Since the war, we have been working in three ways in Ukraine. We set up a fund for financial donations to support charities there. We have used our online matching service, www.globalhand.org to see appropriate goods sent into the country. In addition, we shipped directly from our headquarters in Hong Kong by sending 18 x 40’ containers. We have seen regular help go to this tragic location, trying to help those whose lives have been robbed by this cruel, relentless war.
Amongst those who have had to flee the conflict in Ukraine, many had almost no chance to pack a suitcase, some taking, literally, just the clothes on their backs. So, when an internationally known apparel company in Hungary offered brand-new sports shoes and clothing, they were eagerly received. One Ukrainian family, who escaped to Hungary, explained that they had fled to give their daughter safety. Their new life is simple, but they can afford sport as a way of enjoying one another as a family. “These shoes are an amazing gift,” they said, astonished. Another recipient said, “Thank you so much for these shoes and clothes. My house still stands, but everything I had acquired in my life has gone.”
