KHERSON
A lot was done last week: we refueled generators and changed the oil in them, fed the dog, poisoned mice in 20 rooms, disinfested one large attic (poisoned cockroaches), removed mold in five rooms, installed one dehumidifier and helped in the hospital.
And as always, we have interesting stories to share with you.
We were called to help with pest control. We planned mice poisoning. But during the conversation, the woman who called us complained that there were two more problems. One of them was the fleas and the other one was huge green flies. We had poisoned the flies with hypochlorite in the area last year after the water went down. A little further down the street, there now was the same problem with the big flies, so we conducted pest control and removed the insects.
Every day we prepare poison to kill fleas and bedbugs. Every day we poison cockroaches. And every day we try to help people.
And here’s a story from the Shumenskyi, the second microdistrict, which went underwater after the Kakhovka hydropower station was blown up.
We helped Ms. Olena last year in the early fall. We installed our dehumidifying device and put a part of the house in order so that it could be lived in, which is exactly what happened. Ms. Olena and her husband lived in their house all winter. But we did not manage to do everything necessary. There were two more rooms that we did not have time to fix before the cold weather. And when it was warm again and the couple was ready to continue the restoration of the house, they turned to our “Step with Hope” team for the second time. We had to remove mold in two rooms and dry them out so that the owners could use the two rooms again. It is very pleasant when time passes and people realize that they can turn to our team for help, and it is very rewarding to know that people are confident that we can help. We have restored one part of the house once, so we can restore the other part, too. It just takes a little time. We continue bringing hope to Kherson. We continue helping those in the red zone.
BERYSLAV
Every trip to the hot zone is always tense.
The head of the Beryslav district administration asked us to deliver humanitarian aid to one of the districts, where no one dares to go to. It was agreed that our volunteer would meet the headman on the way and be escorted through field roads, as it was dangerous to drive on the highway. Our volunteer arrived at the appointed place. There was no connection there. There was no sign of the headman either. One should not stay in the spot for a long time. So, he started to drive according to the map. As he drove, he realized he was already quite close to the front line.
“For me, the most terrifying thing is the enemy drones,” says Yurii.
The closer he got to his destination, the more often he saw burnt cars on the sides of the road. The car carcasses torn in the shape of a rose suggested that it was the drones that did it.
In short, we reached the village. We met with the village headman and the residents. They were shocked that Yurii traveled that highway because they hadn’t been using it for a long time in fear of the kamikaze drone raids.
On the way, he also visited his friends in Velyka Oleksandrivka. They helped him pack the kits into bags.
The consequences of the “Russian world” in one of the settlements of the Beryslav city territorial community.
The ruins of a school, a kindergarten, and a community center are a terrible reality faced by our countrymen. These buildings used to be places of learning, children’s laughter, and creative meetings. Now they have turned into silent witnesses to the war that has taken away a part of our kids’ childhood and adults’ peace of mind and confidence in the future.
But we are strong! We will overcome and withstand all of the challenges and rebuild our community! Our children will go back to modern and comfortable schools and kindergartens, and our cultural centers will be filled with life and joy. Our community is united and together we will overcome any difficulties. We believe in a bright future and work for the revival of our native land!
Greetings and gratitude to the EO “IBF “Step with Hope” from the head of the military administration of Beryslav district:
“The residents of Tomaryne village have received food packages from the “Step with Hope” Benevolent Foundation.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Chaplain Yurii and the entire team of the Foundation for their support and indifference to the needs of our community.
This help is extremely important for many families in this difficult time. Your care and support give us strength and faith in a brighter future.”
DONETSK REGION
KOSTIANTYNIVKA, DRUZHKIVKA
This week in Druzhkivka, 100 loaves of bread were distributed, and 100 families received food packages, walkers, and diapers for adults.
In Kostiantynivka, 100 loaves of bread were also handed out and in return, grateful responses were received:
“My name is Liudmyla, 59 years old. I am from Donetsk. When Donetsk was occupied, my husband and I decided to go to Ukraine and not accept the citizenship of the “DPR” (the so-called «Donetsk People’s Republic»). We moved to Druzhkivka. Recently, my husband had a stroke. You can’t buy much on a pension.
Dear team of the “Step with Hope” Benevolent Foundation, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for your generous support and invaluable help. Thanks to your participation, our family has received crucial support in this time of need: walkers, diapers, and food.
Your compassion and kindness inspire and give us hope. Your help truly changes lives, and I am deeply grateful to you for it.
With respect and thankfulness,
Liudmyla.”
KRAMATORSK AND KRAMATORSK DISTRICT
Bread distribution was also organized in Kramatorsk, and people were happy to receive such support in times of trouble.
KHARKIV REGION
ZNAMIANKA
“My name is Larysa Shevchuk, I am 80 years old and a pensioner. I live in the village of Znamianka. I live alone, as my children and grandchildren went abroad after the war broke out.
Thank you very much for the bread brought to my house every Wednesday. I wish your Development Foundation and the employees of the Foundation to be healthy and to have everything well in their families. And I’m wishing us all peace to come soon!”
CHUHUIV AND KOCHETOK
In Chuhuiv and Kochetok, 250 people received assistance: IDPs, disabled people, large families, pensioners, the poor, and the temporarily unemployed.
“I am Sidorenko Serhii Dmytrovich, born in 1951, a single disabled person of the group II. Thank you very much for taking care of us in this difficult time so that we can survive. Thank you for the bread! God bless you and give you a peaceful sky.”
While talking to the local military, we were shown around a hospital and a rehabilitation center where soldiers are currently undergoing rehabilitation. They asked us to provide them with both moral and, if possible, grocery supply aid. We agreed with a local bakery and prepared all kinds of treats for them. Sweets, pastries, and many other kinds of cakes. We also made a vitamin kit: berries, cherries, bananas, drinking water, and sweets. Everything was packed individually in bags. We delivered them, handed them over, congratulated and shook hands with the guys in the hospital. They did not expect someone to show them such special attention and they were very grateful that they were remembered and that EO “IBF “Step with Hope” focused its attention on them. The guys were emotionally inspired. This was pleasant and sweet for them. It lifted their spirits, gave them vigor, and gave them hope and confidence.
MEREFA
Gratitude from Victoria Postova, a resident of the Merefa community, for caring for other people and supporting them:
“I lost my job during the war, and I don’t receive any pension yet. The weekly loaf of bread helps me to survive. I am grateful to everyone involved in this very important cause.”
KHARKIV
KAMIANA YARUHA, MALA DANYLIVKA
Over the past week, the following trips were made:
A trip around the city of Kharkiv;
Kharkiv–Dnipro–Kharkiv;
Dnipro–Kamianske;
Mala Danylivka–Derhachi;
Kharkiv
–Derhachi–Mala Danylivka.
It has become much quieter and people started to return to the city.
On Saturday, bread was distributed to the people in need with the support of Ukraine TrustChain.
On Sunday, a party was organized for children and teenagers, with 41 children attending. Everyone had fun and enjoyed it.
After the party, we helped to take a girl to the hospital because she had suffered a compression injury of the 8th spine 4 days before.
DNIPROPETROVSK REGION
NIKOPOL
Last week we continued to work in all areas we still have access to. We are expanding the radius of our activities in the region. At present, we are no longer planning any regular travel itineraries, but we receive random calls asking us to come and visit another settlement where we are still waited for by someone and where our help and participation are needed. We go there with pleasure, responding to people’s requests. Now we can’t even count the number of the villages we have visited. Some settlements we have never even heard of before, learning about them for the first time.
This week we visited another village, named Chervonyi Tik. This is a new location on our route. Getting there was a challenge because of the horrible roads. But the goal was achieved and 116 people received the help of an ophthalmologist and got their eyeglasses, which are so necessary for everyone.
In addition to distributing eyeglasses, we also spent some time talking to people and giving out sweets to children.
In addition to the activities around the district, we did not stop working in the city. During the week, we supplied drinking water and started distributing it, assigning duty officers at the assistance center.
PAVLOHRAD
This week, we made trips from Pavlohrad to Dnipro, then back to Pavlohrad, and then to Ternivka to receive, transport, and distribute humanitarian aid in the form of household chemicals, clothes, and bread in the amount of 600 pieces.
In total, 415 internally displaced people received the aid, and we got some grateful feedback from them:
“My name is Olga Petrivna. I have come from Bakhmut. I am 83 years old. Thank you for the help you give us! Thanks to it we get to have the most necessary things, like bread and cereals.”
NOVOMOSKOVSK, MAHDALYNIVKA
The volunteers from Novomoskovsk and Mahdalynivka made trips to receive, transport, and distribute humanitarian aid, that was 80 food packages (600 kg), canned food and bread (300 kg), clothing of 2nd category, and eyeglasses.
KRYVYI RIH
Over the past week, our volunteer trips were made on the route: Kryvyi Rih–Dnipro–Sofiivka–Radushne–Novoiulivka in order to:
– deliver food packages and bread to the hospitals and the distribution centers in the city and around its district;
– conduct psychosocial pieces of training for IDPs and victims of war losses.
The total weight of the humanitarian cargo was about 3500 kg. We have received some warm words of thanks:
“Larysa, 55 years old. I retired at the age of 50, but because of the war, I had to go back to work, because my husband is at war and I need to support the family. My son is abroad and I need to take care of my elderly mother and help out my daughter and grandchildren. I am grateful for your help.”
KAMIANSKE
The work of the volunteer center in Kamianske was active and included:
– receiving and distributing bread around Kamianske and in Dnipro city;
– delivering bread, food packages and humanitarian aid to the volunteer centers and distribution points in Kamianske for the IDPs, for the IDP volunteers, for the families in difficult life circumstances, and to the hospital;
– transporting the humanitarian aid around Kamianske (left and right bank);
– distributing food packages: 20 pcs.;
– Women’s club: “Berehynia” needlework classes;
– organizing charity dinners;
– psycho-social program “Healing Your Soul Wounds”;
– work of the massage room;
– distribution of clothes among families in difficult life circumstances, and the IDPs;
– distribution of eyeglasses for families in need, and the IDPs;
– laundry services for people in need, and the IDPs.
“I, Oleksandr, am 41 years old. I came to Kamianske with my wife and son in 2022 from the city of Mariupol. Unfortunately, my parents stayed behind, and I can understand them. The evacuation carriers took me and my family away because they were very worried about my son’s health. Now we are renting an apartment. I would like to thank the sponsors for the wonderful eyeglasses I received for free for myself, my wife and my son. God’s blessings to your entire team.”
“I am Svitlana Valeriivna, 67 years old. I’m a resident of the city of Bakhmut. In 2022, we were evacuated by train to Dnipro, and I left the city with my nephew and his wife. My house was destroyed to the ground, and I don’t know if I will ever return to my hometown. Now I am renting a room. I would like to thank the sponsors and your team for their support and care and wish you all health and peaceful skies.”
“I, Vitalii Yosypovych Sholokhov, am 81 years old. I used to live in the city of Bakhmut in a private house with my wife. After the full-scale invasion in 2022, we were in no hurry to get evacuated because it was a difficult decision for people of our age and there was hope that the frontline would not advance far. There was shelling and air raids in our garden. But the impetus for evacuation was our double injury in the fall of 2022 when a shell exploded in our yard. After a long treatment, we decided to evacuate to Kamianske, where my daughter and her children had evacuated previously and lived at that time. Now my wife and I live in a rented apartment. Although it’s hard to get used to it after a private house, the support and help of caring people makes it easier to adapt.”
