Help me help my native town, Donskoy, in Ukraine

Help me help my native town, Donskoy, in Ukraine

 

Personal Note from Tatyana

“I am Tatyana. I live in Kyiv, Ukraine. I am asking for help to directly help families from my native town, Donskoy, Volnovakha region, Ukraine, where I was born and where my mother still lives. 

 

A few days ago, shells hit my house -- a 100 flat building, and many other houses. Many people have been left homeless after the bombing. I know these people . . . This is a settlement, people don’t know how to ask big charity organizations for help. We want to help families to repair their houses/ apartments, if they can be repaired or to help to buy them. People have been living their entire lives there… they won’t move to another city or town… most of them have never left Ukraine… 

 

We have one school, and one hospital… everyone knows one another. Please, help me to help them! In times of war, we thank you for all your support and prayers. 

 

Many people have been left homeless. I know these people . . . Please, help me to help them! Every day people are losing their homes and lives all over Ukraine . . . People are in need of urgent assistance. 

 

Please donate to the cause to help the people of Ukraine in need. There are no small contributions . . ." 

 

Save Ukrainian People
We are directly sending aid to affected Ukrainian people who are currently in the middle of an active warzone. Families and neighbors are in need of food, clothing, medicine, and more. Many are facing homelessness due to the missiles and shelling that has been targeting civilian residential homes since the 24th of February.  Getting in or out is a dangerous task. Evacuations and access to basic necessities are nearly impossible due to the current situation. 

"The Russian army has been bombing the town for the second day in a row, leveling it to the ground. Private houses and apartment blocks, infrastructure facilities, and a hospital were badly damaged by the occupiers' shelling (a Russian shell hit otolaryngology department and maternity welfare clinic). People stay in basements all the time. The town is actually blocked by the enemy: it is impossible to evacuate the population or even bring people bread and water. There is no electricity and no possibility to restore it," Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration and Military-Civil Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko posted on Telegram.

About Tatyana Pfaifer, Founder of the Jewellery Masterpiece Awards
Those in the artist and jewelry community may better know Ukrainian-born Tatyana for her work @Jewellery_masterpiece . Forbes regards her as a "pre-eminent voice in the jewelry world." PPEforHCP is teaming up with Tatyana in order to provide essential services and aid to families and neighbors in the Volnavakha region during these troubling times.

The Town of Donskoy, Volnavakha District, Donetsk Region

Volnavakha is one of the most heavily hit regions of Ukraine right now. With a pre-war population of 21,000 -- it is estimated around 20,000 people are trying to leave a heavily blockaded region. Humanitarian corridors, exits,  and even transportation of bread and water are being stopped at this important port area.

Picture/Video Updates from Tatyana
From Tatyana: "This is the road I had driven to my parents' settlement, Donskoye, every two weeks when I lived in Donetsk. It passes through Bugas, Volnovakha. This is today’s reality…"

The Deep Meaning of Ukrainian Jewelry Traditions

Ukraine has a long and proud legacy of art, jewelry, and beading. Even the geometries and colors you see reflect a rich sense of cultural pride, familial/regional history (certain colors/nature themes being associated with different towns), and appreciation of nature: the earth being depicted by a horizontal line, waves symbolizing water, a cross symbolizing fire, and a round representing the sun.  You can read more about Ukraininan beaders turning to their craft for peace. During these troubling times, it is humbling to see artists sharing their strength and positivity widely with their community.

A Few Words About PPEforHCP Limited
PPEforHCP is a 501c3 disaster relief charity started by rare disease advocate (and hobbyist jewelry designer) Sophia Boettcher in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In March, aerospace engineers, costume designers, data scientists, startups, and doctors came together to answer a simple call: the need for medical supplies (and supply chain issues that could not quickly be solved by large organizations/governments quickly enough to save lives at the time). With the community's support (from theater workers in the United States to web developers in the Philippines), we donated over 1 million masks and PPE across the United States and Mexico. We gave everything away for free to those in need and continue our simple model of ask-and-deliver. For every doctor, nurse, frontline worker, homeless shelter/community support worker in need who requests it, we continue to deliver medical masks, shields, gloves, hand sanitizers, etc., for free. Shipping included.

 

We are calling on your generous support again. Tatyana Pfeifer is a world-renown supporter of the jeweler and artist community. She is the founder of the Jewelry Masterpiece Awards (the likes of Glenn Spiro are counted among the judges). Born in the Volnavakha region, she has stayed to care for the many people who are now homeless and unable to access large organization support in time.

 

While we are providing resources/links to Meest and other local support groups like https://uaws.org that are working with humanitarian relief efforts, the Red Cross, etc. -- let's also step up to support the most vulnerable groups of people and our beloved artists during this critical time.

 

Thank you for your gracious support.

Resources to Mobilize Near You 

Meest (ship emergency supplies to Ukraine)
Ukrainian Association of Washington State
Metropolitan Gymnastics  (mutual aid hub organized by head coach Yulia Hancheroff)