I've raised £10000 to support Ukrainians fleeing war with HelpPeople.org.ua
Organised by Diana Pantoja
Story
Hi, I'm Diana although most people know me as Dee. I have worked in international aid for 7 years. Currently I volunteer for HelpPeople, a local Ukrainian organization. This local team delivers aid and evacuates people from war zones and occupied territories. Right now, HelpPeople needs donations to continue their work.
We need to raise $10,000 to cover some expenses for evacuations and volunteer salaries for the next 2 months!
EVERY $1, $2, $5 helps!
I'm from Colombia, the country with the longest civil war ever
For me helping people fleeing war is important because I lived alone since 17 years old as both my parents had to flee after nearly being killed.
For them this meant leaving their homes, families, jobs, and having to start from zero in strange cities where they had nothing and knew no one.
My mother was lucky that she found support along the way and could rebuild her life. My father however was less fortunate, and he couldn't get support to evacuate or have a proper place. He went from being a successful entrepreneur to struggling with homelessness for the rest of his life.
My life story underlines my conviction that the support a displaced person receives can make the difference between successfully rebuilding or being stuck as a victim of conflict.
For the past 7 years I’ve provided refugee support during humanitarian crises in Bangladesh, Colombia, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Kosovo, Switzerland, and now Ukraine.
My years of experience have shown me that the most effective way of helping is supporting grassroots and local charities. I am proud to volunteer with HelpPeople which is a locally registered charity, and the organisation relies on local volunteer drivers. The drivers are the reason I am doing this fundraiser.
Please donate to HelpPeople!
They are a highly organised charity registered in Ukraine, with an evacuation request system where anyone can ask for evacuation or aid (helppeople.org.ua and their telegram bot). They go where others can't, not even the Ukrainian government or the UN, because they are locals with local cars.
They go to the most dangerous unreachable parts where other help doesn't. EVEN INTO OCCUPIED TERRITORY!
To 21st september they have achieved brilliant results! Evacuated an average of 37 people daily driving through active war zones.
But they also:
👉🏾 Had 9 drivers were kidnapped by the Russians
👉🏾 Got 20 drivers liberated from Russian jails,
👉🏾 Lost 8 vehicles (confiscated or shelled by the Russians)
👉🏾 Lost a warehouse to a Russian missile
👉🏾 A volunteer house targeted with a missile and made homeless
👉🏾 One of the drivers lost an eye on an ambush, another survived a shelling.
They have been shot at, shelled, tortured, imprisoned, and still determined to continue!! They need these funds to continue to evacuate people.
HelpPeople drivers understand most of the time they are the only way out and the only one providing food where they go! For this reason I am fundraising so that they can continue to do so:
🙏🏽 Donate 78GBP to evacuate one ukrainian from active war and life under brutal Russian occupation.
🙏🏽 Donate 600GBP to cover a monthly salary compensation for a volunteer
🙏🏽 Donate 1400 to cover the fuel for one vehicle for one week
🙏🏽 Donate 2000 to covers the maintenance of one vehicle
If you can donate less than this please donate!!!
EVERY 1, 2, 5 quid helps!
Help us help Ukrainians help people!
Thank you! Dee
