Help us tell Ukrainian Stories of Hope

From the first day the Russians invaded Ukraine, Rotarians have opened their hearts. They are helping the Ukrainian people in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees around the world. These are incredible stories of hope the world needs to hear.

*** Quick Update ***

The Funding Tour

As soon as we can rise the funds, $4,750, to cover the hotels and transportation costs I will go to Ukraine and visit all six countries to help raise the money to hire and support the ten podcasters outlined in this request. It's like riding a bicycle across the country to raise funds, but with more bullets (hopefully not).

The trip will include club visits, going to Rotary projects and meeting Field Podcaster candidates. As much as possible we will broadcast live and also have on-demand videos. I have the plane ticket so as soon as we have the ground expenses covered we will lay out the schedule and publish it here and in the Rotary District 5110 newsletter.

We want you to be comfortable with this project before we ask for your help funding the ten podcasters. Seeing and hearing from the people you are helping is important to us.

Hopefully, you will join us on this adventure. Guarantee you will see snow, strange train and bus rides and meet some great people.

My name is Dan Smith. I am with Dewaga Cooperative Ltd, a non-profit. We are a cooperative of storytellers from around the world telling the stories of people who are helping people but with a purpose; to give them a voice.

Let me share a story;

"On Monday evening, I returned from Lviv. We made a convoy of 25 small trucks and buses with humanitarian aid for orphanages. I can't forget it. We reached the children around 9 pm. Frost, snow, darkness, and ... together with them, we unloaded food, sleeping bags, packages, and from Santa Claus. Tears were flowing from the eyes.

By serving as the District Governor and helping our brothers in Ukraine, I think I am fulfilling my dreams. I am happy, and I feel that I have done something good in my life. Thank you for your help and support."

Pedro Jankowski, Poland

Imagine being a part of that convoy. Driving for hours. Being cold and wet, unloading the supplies in the dark, but feeling full of warmth and fulfillment to the point of tears. If you're a Rotarian, you probably already know how that feels. It is this experience we want you to share with them.

This project will train ten displaced Ukrainians in Ukraine and the neighboring countries to go out and collect those stories for you. To create podcasts and videos and share them with the world. Your donations will give them the equipment, software, and support to feed their families.

While businesses are fleeing Ukraine, we are building a business in Ukraine. With your help, we will open an office in Lviv and have six months of operating expenses. This funding includes "buying" ten podcasts from each of the Field Podcasters.

The podcasters will be displaced Ukrainians in Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. The office in Lviv will be the central clearing house for the podcasts, with the Producer and Webmaster working there.

These are narrative stories. A narrative is like an NPR program or a radio show; it uses sounds, voices, and music to capture emotions. To help you "see," feel, and experience the event as if you were there.

Not everyone can jump on a plane and fly into a war zone, but we all want to help. And we all want to know who we are helping. You will know these people by name, hear their voices and experience their emotions. These are podcasts by the people that live there.

Once the program is fully operational, we will have a story every day of the month. That gives us the power to attract sponsors and share the stories on Public Radio through Public Radio Exchange (PRX), home of This American Life, The Moth, TED Talks Daily, and many more.

Your donations make this all possible.

While the podcasts and videos are free, your monthly subscription, should you choose to join, helps provide sustainable income to twelve families. And you tell us what stories you want to hear. You are part of the team for as little as $2.50 per month.

Find out more here .

It all starts with a live tour.

In February, with your help, I will visit clubs and record some of these projects for you. My family and friends think I'm crazy. Not only am I going into a war zone, but the weather there is extreme, with highs in the 20s and lows around 8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you imagine living in a concrete apartment complex with no heat and only a few hours of electricity daily? In these temperatures! So in a few days, you will know. You will see what it is like. You will meet the Rotarians who are helping and hear the stories of the people they are helping.

This is a video blog broadcast live and on demand. Join us on YouTube and Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. The links are on the website, and it's all possible with your support.

How the Program works

Your donations are sent to Dewaga Cooperative Ltd, a Colorado nonprofit. Our address is 9878 W Belleview Ave Ste 2162, Littleton, CO 80123. The funds are deposited into the Dewaga bank account.

Dewaga is the Fiscal Host at Open Collective and Voices and Stories Ukraine is a project. Your donation is listed on the project page Open Collective, where you can monitor all transactions.

When a task is completed the contractor submits an invoice on the Open Collective, including copies of receipts. The transaction is reviewed by Dewaga and if approved, payment is made, in most cases as an electronic transfer in their home currency. The transaction is visible on the website without personal information.

One of the goals of this program is to establish a separate Ukrainian business. Once the legally established business is created in Ukraine that business becomes a contractor to Dewaga. Dewaga Cooperative will continue to act as the Fiscal Host and manage all transactions with complete transparency.

The bottom line, we will earn your support with complete transparency. You can visit our website anytime and see how your donations are helping. We are part of the Open Collective community, where every gift and every transaction is carefully documented and fully transparent.

As interest in Ukraine's struggle wanes, it is crucial to be sure every donation you make is going to the right people and making a difference. This program is the ultimate Community Assessment. You will know the people, you will know their names, and you will know their needs. No guessing. And you will see how your help is really helping from the heart.

Join us on this adventure. Support these Ukrainian podcasters and hear their stories.

Subscribe to our newsletter, Voices and Stories Ukraine

Please note that GoFundMe may not accept payments from Ukraine. If you're in Ukraine or want to go direct, consider backing us via Open Collective