Once again, we spent another day in Ukraine full of unforgettable events. Already at around three o'clock in the morning, we were awakened by powerful explosions in Bucha, followed by more volleys - this time rockets hit Kiev. Only when dawn broke did we learn of the unprecedented intensity of these attacks. In the morning, we asked one of our Ukrainian colleagues about the night's events, but he just conveniently grinned and replied: „I was asleep... This is something you will have to get used to“. But we haven't got used to it yet, and we don't want to.

 

On the way to the city centre we found ourselves in an early morning convoy of cars, as if nothing had happened during the night. At the Slovak Embassy in Kiev we were warmly welcomed by Ambassador Marek Šafin. We introduced him to the new director of our partner organization ADRA Ukraine, Mr. Leonid Rutkovsky. This meeting was not only a formal visit, but also an opportunity for joint planning and coordination of humanitarian aid. The information we received from the Ambassador about where, when and how we can provide the most effective assistance together is very valuable for us and our colleagues from ADRA Ukraine. In addition, we learned valuable advice on current security risks.

 

Sharing contacts with each other for institutions such as hospitals, schools and help centres that need our support the most is very important to us. Every day we are contacted by people and organisations asking for help and support. That is why it is significant that the Slovak Embassy coordinates aid and connects donors and humanitarian organisations with people and organisations in the areas where the need is most acute.

In the afternoon, we spent time in the office of the Ukrainian ADRA office coordinating joint projects. We are extremely grateful to have a strong local partner with whom we can further strengthen our beneficial cooperation.

 

With the support of the Official Development Assistance of the Slovak Republic - SlovakAid, we are launching a new project to provide basic food and hygiene products to more than 20,000 people in the most vulnerable areas of Ukraine.

 

In addition, we launched the MOFA project in cooperation with the Japanese ADRA office, which was financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. As part of the project, we will provide warehouses and trucks for the transport of humanitarian aid between Slovakia and Ukraine, and we will provide generators for 16 hospitals in the four hardest hit areas (Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson).

But our journey does not end here. Tomorrow, we plan to visit the affected areas and hand over food and hygiene packages, as well as generators to provide electricity and heat, to their residents and aid institutions.

 

- Stanislav Bielik, Director of ADRA Slovakia

 

Get involved in helping too! Just visit our ADRA HelpShop and make a charitable donation: https://www.adra.sk/

 

Thank you!