Opora: Urgent help for Ukrainians in UK and CZ

Hi there, my name is Yegor. 

Born in Odesa, Ukraine, I studied and lived in the Czech Republic. I am now extraordinarily fortunate to live in London, far away from the devastating war raging as I type on the very streets where my friends and I grew up playfighting with stick guns. The nightmare reality for children and families all across Ukraine today is bloodshed and fighting that is all too real.

 

Russia's indiscriminate military action has already displaced more than 500,000 people. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees predicts that over 4mm people could be forced to flee into neighbouring countries.

In response, Ukraine's European neighbours, who are all too familiar with the realities of Russian aggression and occupation, have been opening their borders to welcome desperate Ukrainians. Hundreds of thousands more people more are queuing at border posts to join their relatives in Europe or to simply escape.

(Unfortunately, the UK is yet to act, with no safe, practical and legal route for refugees to join their family members here without first obtaining a visa)

 

Hundreds of volunteers are stepping up to act, provide transport, shelter, basic needs, legal support, translation, etc. Dozens of social media chats are bursting with pleas for help for individuals, and others offering any kind of assistance in nearby countries. With no time to wait, we have assembled a group of passionate individuals to coordinate and target these efforts to support Ukrainians attempting to reach their families or friends either in the UK pr in the Czech Republic, where we have most ability to enact positive change.

 

What we are doing

We have set up a charity association (Opora) providing emergency relocation support, financial assistance and practical help from accommodation, supplies, navigating the immigration system and subsequently employment for Ukrainians attempting to reach their families in the UK or in the Czech Republic. 

We are also managing centralised information and communication channels  in the UK in three languages to connect those Ukrainians looking for help with those that can provide it in the UK or abroad, issuing latest information and guidance and coordinating incredible volunteering activity of others. 

We are already helped dozens of individuals to find transport across Europe, find shelter, navigate Czech and UK bureaucracies and ultimately reach safety. As the UK hopefully softens their approach to answer the calls of so many desperate to reunite with their relatives here, we will be ready to facilitate practical help for arrivals through our channels and networks. 

 

What Opora stands for

Opora means support, help, assistance and backing in Ukrainian and in Czech, embodying the spirit of our mission and Ukrainian communities.

Why Czech Republic/Czechia, not just UK
Czech Republic has a large and strong Ukrainian community with many families and friends now attempting to reunite as they flee Ukraine. Reconigisng this, the Czech government has already taken admirable steps to open its borders and provide free emergency public transport to Ukrainians. Our perosnal ties in the Czech Republic, combined with our local knowledge of the Czech system, multiple languages, local communities, and a diverse range of skills in our group make us uniquely positioned to reach, coordinate and provide immediate support and enact positive, meaningful change for individuals now.

 

How we will use your donations

The funds will be used to fund immediate emergency travel, accommodation and settlement costs for the Ukrainian individuals and families that are already in touch with us to reach and settle in the UK or the Czech Republic. A very small proportion will go to expand our outreach channels and infrastructure to organise structured support networks and volunteers.

 

How we will handle your donations

We are in the process of registering our charity association in the UK (OPORA) to create sustainable ways of fundraising and funding our support operation. Unfortunately, the registration with the Charity Commission is a lengthly process, and the people we are helping do not have time to wait, therefore we are acting in the meantime due to the rapidly escalating situation.

Opening a charity bank account in the UK is equally manual and lengthy, but this is in progress (4-8 weeks min). 

For the time being, your donations will be transferred to my personal UK bank account; and will be used directly for the beneficiaries in the cases we are handling to purchase supplies and pay for immediate needs both in the UK and in the Czech Republic. 

As Trustee and Chairman of Opora, I hold myself personally accountable for the proper use of your donations from this page.

 

I will post updates as the charity registration process progresses and any updates on our work. 

 

Thank you for your support