Humanitarian Aid for Ukrainian Village of Korop
Donation protected
I am raising funds for the village of Korop in Chernihivska Oblast in Ukraine. The funds will go to help a local NGO obtain much needed safety and medical supplies for members of the community.
The why: I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Korop from 2008-2010. My time there changed my life and I have been back multiple times to visit and still have friends there today. The photos above are a smattering of the wonderful people of Korop who welcomed me into their lives.
I am in regular contact with friends from the village. They are making the best of the situation. Some have fled for safety but others have stayed and luckily feel safe right now. They are resilient as ever - growing their own food in their gardens and making due with what they have. They are also housing internally displaced people from some of the cities and villages nearby which were less fortunate than they were.
Korop is only an hour or two from both the Russian and Belarusian borders and lies right in the center of area recently occupied by the Russians. Luckily the village was spared the worst of what many other villages in the area suffered, but now that the Russians have retreated and some supply chains have opened, they would like to take advantage of the opening to stock up on needed safety and medical supplies, in case they get cut off again or become a target. These funds will help them do that.
The how: Where possible I will send funds to the community directly so they can decide what they need most and can use the funds within what still exists of the Ukrainian economy. Alternatively I will work with the Alliance for Ukraine, an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association (for which I serve as Board Treasurer), to buy military-grade first aid kits and ship them to the community through a program they are coordinating. I may also in some cases, where more practical, purchase supplies they need in the US and ship them using funds raised.
The why: I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Korop from 2008-2010. My time there changed my life and I have been back multiple times to visit and still have friends there today. The photos above are a smattering of the wonderful people of Korop who welcomed me into their lives.
I am in regular contact with friends from the village. They are making the best of the situation. Some have fled for safety but others have stayed and luckily feel safe right now. They are resilient as ever - growing their own food in their gardens and making due with what they have. They are also housing internally displaced people from some of the cities and villages nearby which were less fortunate than they were.
Korop is only an hour or two from both the Russian and Belarusian borders and lies right in the center of area recently occupied by the Russians. Luckily the village was spared the worst of what many other villages in the area suffered, but now that the Russians have retreated and some supply chains have opened, they would like to take advantage of the opening to stock up on needed safety and medical supplies, in case they get cut off again or become a target. These funds will help them do that.
The how: Where possible I will send funds to the community directly so they can decide what they need most and can use the funds within what still exists of the Ukrainian economy. Alternatively I will work with the Alliance for Ukraine, an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association (for which I serve as Board Treasurer), to buy military-grade first aid kits and ship them to the community through a program they are coordinating. I may also in some cases, where more practical, purchase supplies they need in the US and ship them using funds raised.
The work will be done in coordination with a local regional development non-profit that I worked closely with when I lived there. The funds will initially come to me and will be transferred to their bank account. The work will be undertaken by the Director of the NGO, whom I know and have been in touch with.
Some notes: Things are changing rapidly in Ukraine including both the needs of the community and the ability to get resources there. My goal is to get needed resources to my community in whatever way makes the most sense for them and to allow them to define what resources they need at any given time. I cannot make promises on how the funds will be used, but I can tell you that after two years working and living in Korop, I trust the Director of the NGO and the local community to use the funds in the best way for their community.
It is possible that some funds will be used for training equipment and supplies for individuals who have been asked to defend Korop and Ukraine, as this is unfortunately the most needed resource in this part of the country right now. If you are not comfortable with that possibility, I encourage you to seek out one of the many local and international NGOs providing humanitarian aid to those who have fled areas of active fighting.
There may also come a time when it is impossible for me to get supplies or money into my village. If that happens I will hold the funds until a future time or donate them to another NGO doing work in Ukraine.
Дякую (thank you) for your support!
Organizer
Gretchen Upholt
Organizer
Chicago, IL