The Nizhnik and Pidhaiets Families

The Nizhnik and Pidhaiets families are in desperate need of help. The war forced Olga, Ira and Nina Nizhnik, Valeria Pidhaiets's mother, aunt and grandmother, to flee from their homes in Sverodonetsk to take refuge with Valeria, her 7 year old her son Timothy and 5 year old daughter Miroslava in Uman, Cherkassy Oblast in central Ukraine. Lara Nizhnik, Valeria's sister, also had to drop out of university in Kyiv for financial reasons due to the war, and has also had to move to Uman. Meanwhile Valeria's brother Kirill, a 22 year old conscript, has been serving in the AFU at the front line for 2 1/2 years as a drone operator near Bakhmut which has seen some of the heaviest battles of the war, and Artem, Valeria's husband is serving in logistics. Artem and Valeria have had to pause the family business, and none of women of the family have been able to find work. Olga's, Ira's and Nina's homes are all now behind Russian lines, and they live with uncertainty and fear about what might happen. Until there is peace and the economy rebounds, they are struggling to meet even their basic needs such as food, electricity and heat, and also to pay internet and a cell phone to be able to communicate with Kirill and Artem. This is a good, decent and hardworking family who I (Colin Cameron, Ottawa, Canada) have known for years. They will be grateful for any contributions big or small which I will forward to Valeria who will no doubt see that it is put to good use. Please be generous and circulate widely,