Below is an overview of my own initiatives, private support to Ukraine. Right after the great Russian invasion, I wanted to offer help but struggled to find my way in it. There were quick platforms available to donate but I wasn't sure which one to trust.
Airbnb and Etsy
In the very beginning of the war, like many others around the world, I started booking Airbnb apartments in Ukraine. I booked stays in several cities for a few days, charged but did not go there. In doing so, I always chose cities in Ukraine that were in the news at the time due to Russian attacks and crimes.
On Etsy, I ordered digital products from Ukraine, such as drawings and photographs.
During this period I got to know a family in Kherson. Kherson was then still occupied by Russia.
Humanitarian aid Kherson
As an individual, you can't make a big difference, but doing nothing was not an option for me. I decided to focus on the family in Cherson that I had met through Airbnb. I asked them what help they needed, to see to what extent I could provide it. In the period that followed, I periodically sent humanitarian aid packages by courier. At a later stage, when the need for humanitarian aid decreased and there was more demand for products for the military, the shipments became a mix of humanitarian aid supplemented with goods for the soldiers.
Since the end of 2024, the shipment of packages to the family in Cherson has unfortunately been on hold, as it is currently too dangerous to pick up shipments from the postal service. In Cherson and other towns, residents are being attacked with drones by the Russians. Since then, I have been in direct contact with the volunteers who have always received the goods for the army, so I can help them directly. They can pick up shipments at alternative pick-up points outside Cherson.
Donations
In late 2022, I started online donations, initially for humanitarian aid. At that time, for example, an action of Scott Kelly to raise money for ambulances through UNITED24.
In early 2023, I began donating to NAFO 69th Sniffing Brigade and thus began my assistance to the military in Ukraine. At the time, I had no clue about brigade names and what equipment was needed, but as long as they knew. After a few one-time donations, I decided to become a regular donor to this organization.
In Ukraine, a huge network of volunteers providing assistance to civilians and the military has emerged. It took me some time to filter the reliable parties within that network. These volunteers are in direct contact with army units, so the lines of communication are short. They receive requests for equipment from the units, start a fundraiser, buy the needed items and make sure they are delivered.
