Actions to help Ukraine
As the war in Ukraine began, we knew that we cannot sit and wait with hands on our knees on the surrounding injustice. The world of millions of people has suddenly crushed into pieces. The victims of this war needed immediate support and that is why we decided to act immediately. As time passes, our support for Ukraine has evolved towards more organised activity. We established cooperation with such organisations as Help Ukraine Center and Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Ukrainy, (Ukraine Friends Association) with well-developed contact network at the area of warfare. This makes us sure that each single Polish Zlotys spent by us reaches the people in need.
To this date, we donated PLN 1.35 million for all activities related to #helpukraine.
What we did:
Purchase of ready-made milk of a value of PLN 200 thousand
Ready-made milk is a basic food of the youngest victims of war. At the same time, in such cities as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, Doneck, Zhitomir or Chernihiv, this product is difficult to get and literally worth its weight in gold. This is why we sent our tinned ready-made milk to these areas.
The logistic support was provided by Help Ukraine Center, which has been currently managing the largest in Europe distribution centre established to help Ukraine. The distribution centre is located in Lublin and employs approx. 150 volunteers, both from Poland and Ukraine, and also from far away parts of the world, such as the United States.
In July, the volunteers were temporarily supported by the Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra – this-year Eurovision winner. The band leader, Oleh Psiuk, emphasized that by his presence in such places as the centre managed by Help Ukraine Centre, he wishes to remind the world that the war in Ukraine is still pending.
Information for the persons willing to join the volunteers in Lublin is available here.
Donation of fuel cards of a value of PLN 170 thousand
Fuel demand of the institutions providing humanitarian aid at the territory of Ukraine is high. The same applies to the entities transporting the refugees from the frontier to various locations in Poland. That is why we donated the fuel cards of the total value of PLN 145 thousand to the Help Ukraine Center. By doing so, we wanted to relieve them in bearing one of the significant costs of charity.
Our cards have also reached the Ostróda Camp, who accommodated more than 200 people from the areas of warfare. Before the outbreak of war, the centre in Ostróda has organised the camps for children from the Ukrainian orphanages. After the Russian attack, the Ostróda Camp has immediately joined the aid activities, by providing free accommodation to the refugees. The centre employees have also committed themselves to transport of children and their moms from the Polish – Ukrainian border, which made fuel demand very high.
The third recipient of our cards was one of the E100 Client, who has also committed himself to support the victims of war in Ukraine.
Free accommodation in the hotels
We funded the stay of the refugees in the hotels in Katowice, Lodz and Nowy Targ. Within 2 months, we accommodated 71 victims of war. We wanted our guests to feel both safe and comfortable after the tough journey. That is why, apart from rooms and breakfasts, we provided the most needed items, such as clothing, cosmetics, medicines or toys. We spent PLN 232 thousand for this purpose.
Financial aid for our Ukrainian employees and their families
The employees of our office in Kiev and their families may continuously count on our financial support. The aid reached all persons, who found themselves in a difficult economic situation due to war. To this date, we spent more than PLN 370 thousand for such aid.
Financial aid for the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Ukrainy
In order to provide humanitarian aid more effectively, we established cooperation with the Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Ukrainy (Ukraine Friends Association). This organisation has been acting for establishing strong relationships between Poland and Ukraine since 2004. From the outbreak of war, TPU has involved itself in humanitarian aid both at the areas of conflict and in Poland. We decided to support their activity by donating funds.
The first tranche of PLN 20 thousand was allocated to food and chemical products for the Rehabilitation Centre in Tarnopol. The second tranche of PLN 80 thousand was sent to the Ukrainian children’s centre in Kashubia. The funds are allocated for remuneration of tutors currently recruited to the centre.
Donating funds for purchase of furniture in the orphanage
Children and their tutors evacuated from the orphanage in Kharkiv were accommodated in the building with no furniture. In order to make their stay at least a bit more comfortable, we donated EUR 10 thousand for equipping the building in the most necessary furniture.
Basic commodities supplied to Lviv
Transport of such products as food, sanitary measures, coffee, sweets or batteries were supplied firstly to Lviv and then to the eastern regions of Ukraine. We spent EU 37 thousand for this purpose.
What are our plans for the upcoming future?
We wish the war in Ukraine to come to an end soon. Today however nobody knows, whether it is a matter of weeks, months or years. What we know is that our support will be provided as long as long the innocent people behind our eastern frontier will suffer.
We will not stop even when peace will be restored. In future, we want to develop our charity activity towards long-term education projects. Our aim is to create the conditions for a good start of young people in the adulthood.
