When we announced a public call for help to Ukraine, we had no idea how promptly and actively you were going to respond. We were pleasantly surprised by your willingness to help people suffering from the consequences of war. Now, we would like to share a reward with you – the stories and thankful words of those you helped. “People in Czechia gathered a lot of material aid in response to Arnika’s public call. We had to transport the aid in cars along roads damaged by shelling and through minefields,” is how our Ukrainian colleagues described the process on Ukrainian territory. In the end, the material aid packages were delivered to people in need. Here are some of their [1] stories.
Hana, Kharkiv
Two months ago, Hana was working as a pediatric oncologist in the local hospital. She and her family were looking forward to warm days. They were planning a family trip. Sunny spring days were just around the corner. The Russian invasion has turned her life upside down. Her husband is serving as a soldier. Hana is nursing the defenders of Kharkiv. Despite the ongoing fights, she decided to stay in the city. “I want to say “Thank you” to all the Czech people who sent medicines and necessary medical equipment to us. It helps us, the paramedics, keep saving people’s lives. In particular, the bleeding control equipment is very helpful,” Hana says.
Tetiana, Kropyvnytskyi
Tetiana is one of the brilliant women who organized the delivery of the donated aid. The delivery included medical equipment, sleeping bags, clothes, and other much-needed things. Before the war, she was a dedicated volunteer and charity worker in her community. Therefore, she could not just sit on her hands. When you look at her, you see a smiling but resolute face.
Her son Stephan and her daughter-in-law Maria joined the territorial defense units. They had run a small family bakery before the war began and dreamt about traveling and starting a family. “My son was born in 1991, the same year as independent Ukraine. That means they are siblings. And if your beloved ones are being hurt, you just need to defend them,” Tetyana explains.
Paul, Zaporizhzhia
This young man is a coordinator of the local hospital where injured people are nursed, people who have been injured on the front line, during the evacuation, or in their homes. Paul also expresses his gratitude: “Thanks to our Czech friends for the aid they gathered and sent to us! They increased the chances of injured people coming back to normal life interrupted by the war atrocities.”
We, the people of Arnika, would also like to thank you once again. The call for help in Ukraine was a truly extraordinary and very emotional moment for us too. Therefore, we appreciate your support, generosity, and ability to act even more. It is you who makes us optimistic about the future! We will keep in touch with our Ukrainian partners. Hopefully, we will be able to come back to our peacetime activities soon and focus on environmental protection again.
[1] All the names have been changed because of the security of the people.
