Few people would willingly approach a war zone and if our DART volunteers; Peter and Suzie, were not quite in the front line, they were certainly closer than most of us would ever care to be. We are grateful for their commitment and humanity and are pleased that they are safely home having completed the first phase of Disaster Aid UK & Ireland’s deployment to Romania to help the people of Ukraine.
The initial objective was to help refugees fleeing Ukraine into Romania and the team arrived in Suceava, Romania on 23 March 2022 and began their assessment.
A military adage suggests that no plan survives first contact with the enemy and our deployment was similar. They found that refugees arriving in Romania were well catered for and being quickly and efficiently processed and moved on within 24/48 hours. Accordingly, when it appeared that our resources could be better used elsewhere, they sought and were granted permission to amend the objectives of the deployment. A great example of the flexibility and benefits brought by our DARTs.
The needs of the Internally Displaced People who cannot leave Ukraine are huge.
Unsurprisingly, the power supply is inconsistent. Bad enough domestically, but in a medical setting potentially crucial. A new plan was formed to work with Romanian and Ukrainian Rotarians to provide back-up generators which are extremely scarce in Ukraine. A supply chain has been established, sourcing suitable generators in Romania to be delivered to Siret, on the Ukraine border, before being distributed to specific locations in Ukraine.
The first unit has been allocated to a hospital in Dnipro, which receives casualties from Mariupol. Logistics within Ukraine are difficult but with the support and efforts of Rotarians within Ukraine and Romania the supply chain is complete. Ongoing care and continued use of the generators will be over-seen by local Rotarians.
Phase 2 will continue from the UK, utilising the verified supply chain and established contacts who will identify locations based on need and urgency.
We are grateful for your continued support and generosity.
A Further Appeal was made for funding extra Generators
As the war in Ukraine enters yet another new phase of targeting infrastructure, including power supplies, the need for generators takes on an even greater significance. Electricity supplies have been severely disrupted and President Zelensky stated that ten million Ukrainians have been left without power. The first snows have fallen in Ukraine, making the situation even more desperate. We have decided to renew our appeal to provide more generators and other equipment to help alleviate the conditions of those still in Ukraine.
We are liaising with Rotary Clubs in Ukraine to supply the aid and direct it to where they advise it is most needed.
The people of Ukraine need our continued support. We have successfully provided generators to hospitals and supported evacuee children traumatised by being caught in the cross-fire at Mykolaiv near Kherson, giving them a period of safety in Bulgaria.
Having used our expertise to build well established trusted partners, this allows us to continue our efforts to give the people of Ukraine hope and ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ and as always, we are grateful for your support and generosity.