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.
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The volunteer movement in Ukraine is the power of those who care!
Their strength lies in the power of those who care! The volunteer movement in Ukraine consists of thousands of compassionate individuals in cities and villages who work towards our victory every day!
Since the beginning of the war, virtually the entire Ukraine has transformed into a vast network of volunteers. Everyone wants to be useful – they bring, transport, prepare, weave, and invest their hearts and souls in helping our army!
Volunteering in Ukraine - a round-the-clock phenomenon!
We find Mrs. Natalia at the volunteer center – of course, where else! “Volunteering is a round-the-clock phenomenon,” she smiles. “Every day, in rain or heat, people from different corners of the village gather here to contribute to our victory!
… In a small building in the village of Lyubech, located in the Chernihiv region, the work is bustling – they are packing dried soups and teas for the military, knitting nets, and weaving kikimoras. Skillful hands expertly weave strips of netting and transform them into camouflage fabric. There is a special energy, a special atmosphere here – because it has brought together people who aspire to help our defenders.
“In every knot, we include a prayer for victory – everything for our soldiers, everything for Ukraine,” says Mrs. Natalia. “Here, in the premises provided by the local council, only a part of the volunteer movement gathers,” the woman explains. “We have support from the community: some donate, some take on tasks at home. They cut ribbons, knit knee pads and buffs, and dry ingredients for soups. We have been working in this mode for almost a year – people spare neither their efforts nor their resources for the army. Everyone tries to contribute to the victory!”
“I recently read a great saying, ‘Gatekeepers are not allowed into heaven’,” the woman laughs. “There is no point in waiting with folded hands. We must make every effort to win! In fact, the entire volunteer movement in Ukraine is focused on this.”
The youngest volunteer is 10 years old, the most respected one is over 80
Initially, my high school students and I (Mrs. Natalia – the teacher) organized ourselves to knit talismans for our soldiers and pack teas – that’s what we could do at that time. Then, during the summer, we found a space and started volunteering in a more systematic and organized manner. We knitted camouflage nets – something I had been doing since 2014. Later, our dear friend, volunteer Tetiana Kovalenko from Ripky, came up with the idea of trench candles. So, we began collecting wax, cardboard, and pouring candles – preparing for winter even in the summertime.
In our volunteer movement, we have a subdivision called the “Golden Hands” specializing in weaving kikimoras. We tried it for the first time and succeeded. The military came, took them, and praised the beautiful and well-crafted kikimoras. It boosted our spirits, and we decided to continue with it. Our “culinary battalion” dries delicious soups at home – green and red borscht, rassolnik, and then together at the volunteer center, we pack and send them to the front. The soldiers tasted them and said they were very delicious!
Our youngest volunteer, Nikita, is 10 years old. He comes with his mother and grandmother, and he especially enjoys pouring candles. Many schoolgirls are involved as well; they weave both nets and kikimoras. Previously, they used to come to my house, but now we have a volunteer center. Our most respected volunteer, Grigory Zinovyevich, is over 80 years old. He does a very important and necessary job – he weaves the bases for camouflage nets. It’s not always possible to purchase these bases due to financial constraints, so he weaves them himself and has even taught his daughter. It’s a tremendous help for us!”
Volunteering in Ukraine is about love!
“Not only young people, but also many older individuals volunteer in the Lyubetsk community,” says Mrs. Natalia. “To paraphrase Shakespeare’s ‘love knows no age,’ we can say that volunteering knows no age. After all, volunteering is love! Love for our land, love for the people who defend it… Perhaps every Ukrainian has contributed a piece of themselves, their soul, and their work to support our defending soldiers.
Those of us who are not in the Armed Forces work for the sake of the Armed Forces. Most of our volunteers are currently waiting for their loved ones from the front lines – sons, daughters, husbands, brothers… Almost every family has someone fighting – and my husband is among them. A mother who awaits the return of her three sons from the war comes to our volunteer center to help.
Valentyna Petrovna, that’s the name of this strong woman, was among the first ten enthusiasts who immediately came to help and volunteer at our center. I can’t remember a day when she missed our volunteer activities. She is there at our center every day, always ready to do any task, always responsive: knitting nets, cutting fabric, sewing bases for kikimors! She is a true mother-protector, a person with a big heart and great strength of spirit! She never complains – she says that the boys out there have it much harder, so we must do everything we can and even a little bit more for them here. She holds herself together and even cheers and supports all of us!
Her three sons have been defending Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and her daughter volunteers alongside her. One of the older boys volunteered to go to the front as early as 2014, was injured, but despite the serious injury, he returned to defend all of us with the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. I taught the younger son, Kolya, in school – he was honest, calm, and balanced, a fighter for justice even then,” recalls Natalia Andriivna. “They are a wonderful family of true patriots – without pomp, without loud words, they stood up for our defense. I admire the inexhaustible optimism of the Mother with a capital ‘M’ who raised real Heroes! My deep respect and great honor to her!
Volunteering unites: families volunteer together, and all together, we collaborate as entire communities! Yes, our volunteers from the Lyubetsk community have close contact with the volunteers from Ripky, who formed the public organization ‘Real Cooperation.’ I cannot emphasize enough that together we are strong! And immense gratitude to those people whose hearts are golden, which is why they are volunteers!”
