Once, on New Year's Eve, Mykola, a resident of Dvorichne, went to visit a friend. His friend was left without a wife, eating only peas and beans, and so on... Mykola took a jar of tomatoes, bacon, and, of course, bread and something stronger to it. After all, New Year's Eve is a holy occasion. He got ready to visit, and on his way back, Mykola met a Russian drone. It didn't matter that he was in his seventies and had never been in the military. The “heroic” Russian drone pilot did not spare Mykola. Head of the evacuation team Serhiy Kharlamov with Mykola The explosion contused the man, and shrapnel hit his legs so much that he lost a lot of blood from his heart. Mykola would not have celebrated the New Year if his friend hadn't come running to find out what the drone had done. He waited for four hours for medical help, but first the soldiers helped Mykola by putting splints on his injured legs. They only asked him to return the tires when the need for them passed, as they no longer had any. Then he was taken to Kupyansk, where qualified specialists fought for his life. Mykola regained consciousness only a day later in the Kharkiv Regional Hospital. Kharkiv doctors tried to save him for almost a month. Fortunately, they succeeded. At the moment, Mykola is still bedridden, his legs are fixed with the Elizarov apparatus, but the prospect of recovery is quite reliable. However, now the next dilemma arises: how to bring a patient in such a situation from the hospital to his home. Especially with the critical shortage of ambulances and the fact that the patient lives 120 kilometers away in the countryside. It should also be added that Mykola is a corpulent man, as they say, and his unhealed wounds cause him severe pain with every careless movement. This is where the medical and evacuation crews of the "Volunteer - 68" team come in handy, as they make their flights on a daily basis. Just transferring a person in this condition from a hospital bed to a medical gurney is no longer a challenge. It is technically, physically and emotionally difficult. Getting such a patient to their destination on war-torn roads is also not easy. However, lifting him on a soft stretcher up several floors, through stairwells of the Soviet design that were not adapted for this purpose, without causing him pain, is a task on the verge of being impossible. It was difficult to transport Mykola, but the experience and goodwill of the "Volunteer - 68" crew helped to make it as correct and psychologically easy as possible. For this, the volunteers heard many words of gratitude from Mr. Mykola and his wife Tetyana, as the guys deserved them. Artur Vsevolozhskyi

In the NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’,” there is a special unit that, by the form and essence of its activity, is called “Caregiver.” Currently, these are women—mostly IDPs—who have prior experience in the field of social or medical training. They work in dormitories in Kharkiv, where elderly people evacuated from combat zones and threatened territories are now residing. All of them have IDP status and, for the most part, suffer from serious physical limitations.   On average, each caregiver has about fifteen wards. Their responsibilities include monitoring compliance with proper hygiene, nutrition, and timely medication intake. On a social level, our colleagues can help with grocery and medicine purchases. They can call a doctor or contact case managers regarding legal issues, humanitarian aid, transportation, or any personal problems that arise among the beneficiaries of NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’.”   However, the main aspect of their work, arising from the very nature of their activity, is psychological support and emotional engagement during interactions between caregivers and their wards. Listening, calming, and instilling hope in the hearts of elderly, often disoriented, and sometimes seriously ill people is the daily task of our colleagues. At the same time, remaining empathetic and positive is a prerequisite for professional and deeply responsible performance of their duties. One might think these are just dry facts and the functions of executors, but behind them lie human relationships, often filled with high emotional tension. The wards miss their caregivers: there is room for everything here—resentment, secrets, and jealousy. Riding the crest of this emotional wave, caregivers “surf” through psychological swings even beyond their shifts.   To strengthen resilience and enhance the overall awareness of our caregivers, NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’” has initiated and conducted a series of training courses on psychology, first aid, rehabilitation, and legal aspects of caring for vulnerable population groups. In this way, we strive to express our respect and interest in the personal growth and emotional well-being of our colleagues. At the beginning of spring, it is customary in the post-Soviet space to congratulate women on “Women’s Day.” Regardless of the overly sexualized and gendered nature this red date acquired in the former USSR, Women's Solidarity Day still signifies gender emancipation and social progress, rather than just male attention with flowers.    However, social progress, enriched by women's intuition, makes it seemingly incomparably more inclusive for all social strata, branches, and niches that make up humanity.   And the symbol of this more inclusive world, which does not leave behind the poor and sick, nor those who do not fit into conventional norms, can arguably be the figure of the Caregiver.   So, despite the fact that early March in our region is traditionally cold and gloomy, and in present times also explosive and bloody, we congratulate our women caregivers, along with women worldwide, on this bright holiday of Empathy and Progress. Artur Vsevolozhskyi

The crews of the NGO "Volunteer - 68" carry out evacuation flights to rescue people with limited mobility not only from the threatened frontline areas. We have also repeatedly participated in events coordinated by the office of the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets to exchange Ukrainians who remained in the occupied territories against their will. It has always been about evacuating civilians with physical disabilities, which is the specificity and priority of our organization. On New Year's Eve 2025, the crew of the "Volunteer - 68" went to the border with Belarus to pick up sixteen-year-old Georgiy, a disabled person since childhood diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Heorhiy came under occupation, one might say, from the first hours of the war, because at the time of the invasion he was in a children's neurological dispensary in Oleshky. His brother Petro, his only relative, had been trying to get his younger brother back for almost three years. And finally, thanks to the joint efforts of the Ombudsman's Office, special services and exchange negotiation teams, it became possible. At first, Heorhiy was sent from Oleshky to Moscow, where, according to him, he was fattened up. The Russians probably intended the exchange to bring them a certain media bonus: look how caring we are. Then the guy was sent to Minsk, where Petro met him, and from there the brothers were taken to a certain place on the border with Ukraine, where the evacuation crew of the "Volunteer - 68" Center was waiting for them. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you exactly how our crew was organized to enter the territory of Belarus, because it was a special operation, the details of which were insisted upon by the curators of the exchange. However, our colleagues crossed the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in a completely trivial way - through a checkpoint. From that moment on, the trip became completely regular and even routine. After all, the journey from Novi Yarylovychi on the border to Cherkasy, in the heart of Ukraine, was unusually calm and safe. Now Heorhiy, a surprisingly nice guy, is being taken care of in a specialized institution in Cherkasy. We wish him all the best in life.   Artur Vsevolozhskyi

The “Caregiver” project to support people with limited mobility In cooperation with Help Age Canada, our organization is implementing a large-scale project aimed at improving the quality of life of people with limited mobility living in dormitories. The daily life of these people is often limited due to physical difficulties. Simple actions for a healthy person, such as going to the store or walking in the park, can be a real challenge for them. That is why we initiated the Caregiver project to provide these people with the help and support they need. Our caregivers are not just assistants, but real friends who are ready to help at any time. They help with household chores, accompany them on walks, and provide emotional support. The "Caregiver" project is more than just providing services. It is about creating an atmosphere of care and mutual assistance where everyone feels valued and important.

TARGETED ASSISTANCE PATRONAGE TRANSPORTATION For people with physical limitations who do not receive the necessary support due to the evacuation of public social assistance structures and businesses, we: we help to get to medical institutions for the next examination and consultations; we provide auxiliary means of movement: crutches, walkers, wheelchairs; we assist in receiving pensions and social benefits; assistance in placing and restoring documents.

ГО «ЦНГД «Волонтер-68» активно допомагає людям, які опинилися в складних життєвих обставинах. Наші проєкти, евакуації, гуманітарна допомога та співпраця з міжнародними організаціями неодноразово висвітлювалися в українських та закордонних медіа. Тут ви можете ознайомитися з матеріалами, які розповідають про нашу роботу, відданість справі та реальні історії допомоги. Наша діяльність у фокусі уваги ЗМІ ГО «ЦНГД «Волонтер-68» активно допомагає людям, які опинилися в складних життєвих обставинах. Наші проєкти, евакуації, гуманітарна допомога та співпраця з міжнародними організаціями неодноразово висвітлювалися в українських та закордонних медіа. Тут ви можете ознайомитися з матеріалами, які розповідають про нашу роботу, відданість справі та реальні історії допомоги. Evacuation of residents of frontline settlements continues in Kupyansk region Today, on November 18, rescuers helped 7 people evacuate from the danger zone. These are residents of Kivsharivka and Kupyansk. Most of... Nov 18, 2024 Dashboard: humanitarian response in Ukraine, 2024 Key figures and funding Nov 6, 2024 Anniversary of the opening of the first transit shelter in Kharkiv “Bez Boundaries” for people with limited mobility and people with disabilities A year ago, the Vostok SOS Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the Volunteer-68 Humanitarian Aid Center, opened the first transit... Aug 1, 2024 A challenge for organizations and individual volunteering: the rules for importing "humanitarian aid" are changing in Ukraine From December 1, changes to the rules for the import and accounting of humanitarian aid come into force in Ukraine. The state is... Dec 1, 2023 Get them out of the fire. How Slobozhanshchyna volunteers save the lives of people with limited mobility A year ago, thanks to a lightning-fast operation, Ukrainian troops liberated most of the Kharkiv region from the Moscow invaders. In some... Oct 1, 2023 Training from the NGO “Volunteer - 68” for students of the Pechenizkyi Lyceum named after H. Semyradskyi On October 2, representatives of our lyceum together with the NGO Volunteer 68 conducted an on-site practical training on first aid for... Oct 1, 2023 NGO “Volunteer-68”: First aid training for children - knowledge that saves lives On September 15, specialists of the Volunteer-68 NGO held a workshop on “First Aid” for students in grades 9-11 and on September 18 for... Sep 14, 2023 Temporary shelter for people with limited mobility from frontline communities opened in Kharkiv The first evacuees were settled in a shelter for people with limited mobility in Kharkiv by volunteers. These are residents of frontline... Jul 29, 2023 Care without Boundaries: a shelter for people with limited mobility and disabilities opened in Kharkiv. On July 26, 2023, the Vostok SOS Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the Volunteer-68 Humanitarian Aid Center, opened the first... Jul 25, 2023 Free shelter for evacuated people with limited mobility set up in Kharkiv In Kharkiv, one of the office premises was converted into a shelter for people with limited mobility and disabilities. It cost... Jul 25, 2023 NGO “Volunteer-68” united the community to address issues of support for people with disabilities Representatives of the Department of Social Protection of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration took part in a roundtable... Jul 24, 2023 Shelter for evacuated people with limited mobility is being prepared in Kharkiv One of Kharkiv's dormitories is preparing a room to temporarily accommodate people with limited mobility from Kharkiv, Donetsk and... Jul 23, 2023 1 2