Anna Becker, Marketing Director at Sophos, had an unusual request for her birthday this year. It was donations for a charity supporting those in the front line in Ukraine. Ukrainian by birth but living in Germany she has had to watch her home country torn apart by the Russian invasion and see her brother injured in fighting in Kyiv (once recovered he went back to work with Special Forces).
Two and half years later, she despairs of the worsening situation in her home country and can see the devastation first hand when she visits her family. So many homes destroyed. So many lives lost.
The aggressive occupation of peaceful cities and daily missile attacks by the Russian army have made life in Ukraine incredibly difficult. In the areas close to the front, such as Kharkiv, there is still a lack of basic necessities. Most needed are fundamentals such as electricity, water, hygiene items, winter clothes, LED flashlights and hot water bottles.
Because normal schooling is impossible close to the front, laptops for children to allow their schooling to continue, albeit online, are also a high priority.
Since the start of the war, Anna has been working with the German charity Flexible Machines to collect donations and distribute items through volunteers on the front lines to those most in need. The charity buys humanitarian goods directly in Ukraine (which helps to support the local economy) and distributes them in the Kharkiv region. Because the items are distributed via Anna’s family, friends and network, there are absolutely no processing or admin fees and 100% of the funds raised go directly to those most in need.
So far, humanitarian goods worth over 25,000 euros have been sent to old people’s homes, large families with foster children, and ordinary residents of the Kharkiv region and the surrounding area. They also collect and send wax and candles (around 2,900 kilos of them in the last 2 years) to make candle burners for households that have to spend the winter without electricity or heating. Winter clothing, bed linen, children’s toys and much more has been provided for people in areas close to the front or to internal refugees who have lost their homes due to Russian attacks.
Sadly, compassion fatigue has seen a reduction in external support over recent months. But unfortunately, the suffering of the people in Ukraine is only increasing. Rocket and artillery attacks on Kharkiv and the region have increased. Since May this year over 100 people have been killed in the region by Russian attacks (including 4 children), and almost 1000 people have been injured (including 42 children).
Flexible Machines can make a huge impact. For example, an chargeable power bank costs around 15 euros, a water filter around 20 Euros for 100 pieces (since the Kakhovka dam was destroyed, drinking water is now polluted). A household hygiene set which includes detergent, toothbrushes and paste, soap, wipes, sanitary products and nappies costs around 30 euros, a used laptop for school around 150 euros and an electricity generator 400 euros.
If you can help, please consider making a donation to cover one of these items. If you have old PCs you would like to donate to allow children to continue their schooling, or warm winter clothes that are no longer of use and can ship them to Ukraine, please contact Anna directly and she can let you know exactly who will benefit from them! It’s not often with charitable giving you can see direct impact on people on the ground, but in this case you can.
So, help Anna continue to celebrate her birthday, it would mean the world to her, and to those in need in Ukraine.
Gemma Telford
Gemma Telford is the founder of channel marketing agency SheHer
