“We are just a small cog working for victory.” How a charitable foundation of 12 people helps the military, medics, and IDPs

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been going on for over a year now. Our country continues to fight. Day after day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are defending Ukrainian cities and towns at the cost of their lives. In this difficult situation, when thousands of people have become victims of the war and have been […]

Since its foundation, the foundation has provided humanitarian aid to more than 2,000 IDP families in Dnipro and 450 children in the evacuated areas of the Kherson region.

“Rise of Ukraine actively cooperates with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. So far, the organization has delivered more than 350 bulletproof vests, 150 tactical first aid kits, 40 sleeping bags, 30 burqas, and 300 candlesticks, as well as 3 thermal imagers, 2 vehicles, and a DJI Mavic 3 drone.

The charitable organization also provides psychological and medical assistance to both civilians and military personnel.

The Rise of Ukraine works in four main areas:

Assistance to the military sector
Humanitarian aid
Medical aid
Assistance to IDPs and refugees

The Foundation helps both on its own and collects donations from philanthropists. Each story of help from Ukrainians is unique:

“A friend called me and said he wanted to help. A few hours later we met, he took out a package with money and handed it to me with words: ‘I can’t fight, but I can do what I can. The package contained 250,000 hryvnias. It was incredibly impressive and involuntarily brought tears to my face. Ukrainians are ready to give away all their savings just to wake up in a peaceful country again and live without daily pain and tears,” says Oleksandr Kukhtin, director of the Foundation.

“Rise of Ukraine cooperates with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and makes every effort to help and provide everything necessary for those who are defending our borders and sky at the cost of their own lives.

The foundation’s volunteers sew and send bulletproof vests, first aid kits, sleeping bags, and military uniforms to the front line. They also provide the military with food and finances. They buy and send military equipment, vehicles, drones, drones, and thermal imagers. They also deliver everything to the hottest spots of the frontline.

“It was and continues to be impressive that when you send aid to the guys, they thank us as if we had saved them, and not that they are saving us every day, risking their lives and health. I said: “Why should we thank you? This is our task at least. The guys answered: We could not have pulled us out without you. And then I sit and think, what are we, just a small cog trying to work as hard as we can to wake up in victorious Ukraine,” says Denys Safonov, co-founder of the Foundation.

“Rise of Ukraine helps doctors and medical centers. They purchase and transfer medical equipment, instruments, laboratory reagents, medicines, and medical devices, as well as means for the treatment and rehabilitation of injured soldiers and civilians.

The foundation also takes care of the rehabilitation of the military and civilians.

The Rise of Ukraine Foundation does not stand aside from the most affected part of the population – internally displaced persons. According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, about 12 million Ukrainians have become IDPs.

Due to the need to assist people who have arrived from hot spots, the Foundation is implementing the IDP and Refugee Assistance Program.

The Foundation provides primary assistance in the form of food and personal care packages, as well as helps Ukrainians from the affected regions to adapt to a new city.

“Rise of Ukraine takes care of IDP children, and volunteers conduct developmental courses and workshops for families, as well as provide psychological support.

“Children who come to us with their parents for help are the best part of our work. We are charged by them, communicate with them, and give everything we have. Hugs from children at master classes, sincere emotions at holidays and competitions we organize, and gratitude from a gift of a book or goodies are what motivate us to work harder and better,” says Yana Paladieva, co-founder of the Foundation.