I am the author of the Goodacity blog, a journalist, and a translator. For 16 years, I have worked in professional journalism, contributing to regional and national publications, both in print and online media. I have written reports, conducted interviews, reviews, articles on cultural, social, and charitable topics, as well as materials in the style of "solution journalism" and communication materials.
My focus is on creating interesting and exclusive content. Journalism, to me, is primarily about human stories, to which I always find the key, empathize with the people I write about, and love all my heroes. Journalism, to me, means telling people about what truly matters to them, informing and inspiring them. It is not just a job, but a way of life, just like for all those who dream, create, and are inspired by it.
So, if you are looking for stories that inspire and motivate, that instill faith and help find meaning while believing in goodness, read my stories on the Goodacity website.
I am a manager of cultural affairs and a project manager with over 14 years of experience at United Thinkers. I have participated in the organization of numerous successful social and charitable projects and have implemented informational campaigns and communication cases.
As a marketing manager, I have been involved in organizing marketing and sociological research, working with media and partners, developing advertising and marketing strategies, as well as planning and implementing advertising campaigns.
I believe in the power of goodness and I am happy that as part of the Goodacity project, I can contribute to its expansion. I believe in the power of words and in the fact that communication can help make the world a better place. I know how, where and when to speak in order to be heard. And when you are heard, you can change the world!
THE PATH OF THE MESSENGER OF GOOD
Andrii Oleksiienko
The people in his photographs have incredibly expressive eyes. They seem to gaze right into the soul. Photos of people amidst the ruins of their homes, pictures of volunteers assisting in the restoration of those homes – it’s not just a story of pain and loss; it’s a story of light that cannot be extinguished by any darkness. It’s a story of resilient and compassionate individuals. Our interlocutor is a renowned photographer from Chernihiv, one of the co-founders of the “BoMozhemo” (Because we can) Volunteers Association and the founder of the “Roof-Chernihiv” Charitable Foundation, Andrii Oleksiienko – one of those who is actively shaping this narrative and can truly explain what volunteering is all about. Here he is with a camera in hand, capturing the faces of Chernihiv residents near the homes destroyed by the occupiers – displayed at various European events and exhibitions. And here he puts down the camera and picks up a hammer and nails, saw or drill – personally lending a hand in rebuilding the shattered lives.
“All of our projects are primarily about people,” says Andrii Oleksiienko. “About people on both sides of the ruins: those whose homes have been destroyed and those who help others rebuild their shattered homes. Often, these are the same people… We have numerous examples of volunteers who, despite having their own homes in ruins, participate in clearing debris and aiding in the reconstruction of other affected individuals’ properties… Every person who joins to help is an incredible case! It doesn’t matter which city or country they come from, or what language they speak. I find myself pondering: how incredible these individuals are – over a year after their main jobs, they come and rebuild what was destroyed. I don’t know about others, but this continues to amaze me!”
And so, this is how we start our conversation with Mr. Andrii…
What is volunteering: how it all began
Working on enthusiasm and the words “it’s needed”
– How do you avoid getting tired and burned out after almost a year and a half of systematic volunteering?
– We work on enthusiasm and the words ‘it’s needed’,” the man chuckles. “Well, how else could it be?! You can’t just say, “I’m tired, I give up…”
– As Lina Kostenko once said, ‘work doesn’t wait, it needs to be done…’
– We need to do what we can, help the military, those affected by the war – ultimately, anyone whom you can and believe it’s necessary to help. Any support is timely and carries significant weight. Look into the eyes of people who have lost their homes: isn’t that motivation enough to help? For those who remain amidst the ruins of their homes, it seems as if their lives are in ruins too… They need support badly – even a little assistance seems to “awaken” them from their shock, giving them the incentive to move forward, understanding that restoration is possible and that things will eventually be okay. How do you motivate people to keep helping, volunteering? Most of all, by setting an example. Inspire, inform, show that it’s always relevant, that it’s important – these might sound like clichés, but why reinvent the wheel? Let me put it this way: a person who wants to help will help. People who seek personal gain or benefit from volunteering won’t stay long; they might come once or twice, and then we won’t see them again. There are no “carrots” in volunteering – except for the daily interaction and work within an incredible community, and believe me, that’s a lot… However, as much as we might wish, volunteers can’t do everything; they can’t replace the functions of the state. How would I compare it? You know, when you scraped your knee as a child, it hurts, it’s bleeding, and before going to your mom to get it treated with iodine, you put a plantain leaf on it… So, volunteers are like “plantain leaves”, but nobody cancels the need for serious “treatment”,” he laughs. If we talk about the country on a larger scale, the volunteer movement is a kind of mini-model of society, where there’s high civic responsibility, the society that it should be: when everyone collectively helps each other. And the level of engagement in volunteering right now is an indicator that shows how prepared our country is for mutual assistance.
What will remain in memory
People who haven’t given up inspire!
– Every time you repair and rebuild people’s homes, you heal their souls, giving hope for a better tomorrow… Human stories touch the heart deeply… Are there stories that have particularly impacted and moved you?
– There’s no one story or person that impacted me more than others – all the stories leave an imprint in the memory of the heart. Human stories vary, but they all hurt equally… The most painful and tragic ones are those where people have not only lost their homes but also lost loved ones – that’s a tremendous tragedy. Because everything can be fixed: walls can be restored, roofs patched up, houses rebuilt, but you can’t bring back a person… There are stories that hurt, and there are those that inspire – when people don’t lose hope, don’t give up, and strive to continue living and rebuilding their homes and lives from the ruins. The stories of people’s strength are astounding – like the story of a woman from Kyinka who lost not only her home but also her husband… Left alone, she was initially in despair, but later discovered the strength within herself not only to restore her household but also to engage in volunteering and eventually even start her own business. People who haven’t given up inspire! It’s this inspiration, this positive spirit, that probably draws volunteers to us. People help others to help themselves. Last year, during the clean-up efforts of the “BoMozhemo” (Because we can) Volunteers Association, people came not only to clear debris but also to see others just like them, to be convinced that there are many of us – the compassionate – and together we are strong! I think many current volunteers have found like-minded friends in this context, and it’s evolved into a circle of friends. Friends who help.
– And do you remember your very first cleanup event?
– I’m not sure if it can be called a cleanup event,” Mr. Andrii smiles. “There were only four of us at the ruined site: Andrii Haliuha, Serhii Pidopryhora, Valentyn Bobyr, and me. I knew Valentyn through the ‘photography’ community, and I got to know the others on-site. We worked, cleared debris, and agreed to continue meeting like this and helping people as much as we could. That’s how the “BoMozhemo” (Because we can) Volunteers Association was born, and to this day, we meet and help, we “bond” with people… Somewhere around the same time, a little earlier, I was in Bobrovytsia – I was photographing people who had lost their homes, and I met Alberto Cortes, the founder of the “Esperanza” charity fund. He provided the affected people with small cabins, where they could store things and even live. That’s when I got the idea of getting personally involved in helping. Foreign volunteers often join the clean-up and reconstruction efforts – even if they didn’t know Ukrainian, we always managed to find a common language, because the language of humanity and kindness is the same everywhere.
– From photographs of people who lost their homes due to the Russian aggression, the charity photo project ‘Roof’ was born…
– It all started when last spring, community activist Anna Halperina reached out to me and suggested taking photos of several families and their destroyed homes, to show these images abroad and try to raise funds to help these people. I remember the family from Trysviatska Sloboda – listening to their story, it was hard to hold back tears. Behind every shattered home, behind every photo, there’s a human tragedy… I captured not just a few families’ stories, but more than 20 stories of people, mostly elderly, who completely or partially lost their homes due to the Russian aggression. I waited for a moment when these photos could bring real benefit, not just gather ‘likes’ online but help raise funds. That’s why I established the “Roof-Chernihiv” Charitable Foundation, and the photographs and works of several Chernihiv photographers were compiled into an exhibition that toured Italy. Anna put a lot of effort into raising funds – I’m glad that through our joint efforts, we managed to help many families. The”Roof” photo project continues to travel the world – recently, the works were exhibited in Germany and Austria, and the funds collected are now being used, including for rebuilding the home of one of the project’s heroes in Novoselivka.
The Power of Thought
Leaving a mark in history after oneself – that’s very important…
– Your project’s name, ‘Roof,’ is really nice and, you could say, symbolic. Because by providing someone with a roof over their head, you’re giving them something much more – confidence in tomorrow, care… How would you continue the phrase: ‘A roof is…’?
– Oh, I’m not good at eloquently talking about things with grandiosity,” he laughs. “I appreciate precision in everything – perhaps it’s due to my accounting education. I’m not just a photographer; I worked as an accountant for nearly ten years. I’m a literal person: a roof is a roof! It’s good when there’s one over your head – that’s why we work! Walls, floors, insulation, windows, roof – these are all very simple and literal yet incredibly important and necessary things. Laying a brick for someone who lost their home is a display of care; building walls gives confidence; putting a roof over their head means life continues.
– When you walk down the street and see a rebuilt house you’ve contributed to – that must be an incredible feeling?
– Yes, definitely! Actually, that’s one of those moments that motivate and inspire. You walk where not long ago there were ruins, debris of ruined buildings, and you see that people are living there again or erecting walls to live there. God willing, someday I’ll tell my grandchildren – here, this is where we patched roofs, here we built walls, and here we even constructed a whole house. Leaving a mark in history after oneself – that’s very important…
– As a photographer, how did you manage to learn so many construction specialties?
– It’s simple: you observe, memorize, and learn. You ask, read, and search. Building materials are as valuable as gold, and construction, in general, is a responsible process, so the ‘trial and error’ method doesn’t work here,” he laughs. “I watched, learned, closely observed professionals, and then tried it myself – and it worked! Honestly, as a photographer, I don’t feel very inclined to take photos right now. There’s a certain barrier to picking up a camera… Maybe the right time hasn’t come yet, or perhaps it’s because during our photo shoots last year, I witnessed so much human suffering…
I look at the photos of the “BoMozhemo” (Because we can)Volunteers Association, taken by Andrii Oleksiienko. There’s so much that can be said about them and what they do. But I want us to look into their eyes. Eyes that are often tired but confident. Eyes that often peer through sweat-stained safety glasses – right into the soul. There’s so much light and love in these pictures, and it’s primarily in the people… How does a photographer manage to capture that spirit, that unity, that sense of community and brotherhood?… I thought – what could be a better motivator for volunteer work than these photos? Because when you look at them, you want to become one of those people who bring light.