Hi, I'm Mariya, a Ukrainian ultramarathon swimmer based in the UK.

On 1 August 2026, I'll be taking on 45.9 km marathon swim around Manhattan, New York.

I'd love this swim to become something bigger than the distance itself. That's why I'm inviting you to swim it with me - not in the water, but through the kindness you choose to show.

I'm raising funds for Misto Dobra (City of Goodness), a Ukrainian charity helping women and children find safety after escaping domestic violence.

Everyone deserves to feel safe. Safety is something we should all live with every day, not something we should have to fight for.

Every day, women and children are forced to escape the very place that should have been their safest - their own home. Many have nowhere to turn, no support network, and no idea what tomorrow will bring. They deserve to know they have not been forgotten.

That is why I chose Misto Dobra.

They provide something every human being deserves, yet far too many never experience.

Safety.

A safe place to sleep.

A chance to heal.

A chance for children to simply be children again.

Nobody should ever fear their own home. The people who are meant to be their refuge should never become the people they need rescuing from.

I was going to swim around Manhattan anyway.

But swimming for something bigger than myself changes everything.

When the hours become long and the water feels endless, I'll know that every kilometre represents people choosing kindness over indifference.

That thought is stronger than any current.

I don't know whose life your donation will touch.

But I know it may remind someone, at the darkest moment of their life, that complete strangers believe they deserve safety, hope, and the chance to begin again.

I truly believe the world becomes a better place every time we choose to bring a little light into someone else's life, especially when they least expect it.

If you're able to support this fundraiser, I'd be incredibly grateful.

Even the cost of a morning coffee can help someone begin again.

Thank you for being part of that light.

❤️