Seven months on from the Russian invasion, many in Ukraine are still desperately in need of humanitarian assistance. In the first of a series of articles, we profile how one organisation, Brno’s NESEHNUTÍ, is responding to that need. Photo credit: Nesehnuti
Brno, 26 Sep (BD) – Provision of drinking water for the most vulnerable, assistance to victims of sexual violence commited by Russian soldiers, evacuation of Crimean Tatars, and the supply of material aid corresponding to the needs of Ukrainian civic organizations. These are just some of the ways that Brno non-profit organization NESEHNUTÍ is helping Ukraine. The motivation to lend a helping hand is very strong in NESEHNUTÍ, as the organization has been cooperating with Ukrainian initiatives and activists since 2014.
“When Russian soldiers invaded the independent Ukrainian territory on 24 February, we clearly knew that we would provide our Ukrainian colleagues with as much support as possible. We immediately contacted them with the message that we are ready to help in any way we can,” said Martin Hyťha, a member of the Ukrainian NESEHNUTÍ team. Now, seven months later, the need to help Ukraine is perhaps even more urgent, and NESEHNUTÍ therefore continues to provide crucial support to Ukrainian civil society.
From the first days of war NESEHNUTÍ has been focusing on helping people who are put at double risk by the Russian invasion – individual civic activists and independent civic initiatives, which have been a thorn in the side of the Russian state apparatus. Thanks to the donations from its supporters. NESEHNUTÍ coordinates various material and financial aid supplies for organizations that operate in the most affected areas, independent journalists mapping Russian war crimes, and initiatives that help to relieve the heavy burden from survivors of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers.
Specific forms of support are determined by the needs of Ukrainian initiatives. “For example, we are currently providing Mykolaiv with products for water purification, because local water supply was destroyed by bombing,” explained NESEHNUTÍ spokesman Marek Hadrbolec. “Our partners there are doing their best to provide drinking water at least for the most vulnerable groups of people. Since the war started, we have sent out many deliveries of medicines and other medical supplies. A large part of them went to Kropyvnickyj, where our colleagues from the originally ecologically-focused organization Flora showed tremendous courage and stayed to help in close proximity to the fighting. But there were many more forms of material aid, including Skylink terminals, which ensure a stable connection to the Internet even in the event of Russian attempts to interrupt it.”
NESEHNUTÍ intends to continue with the support of Ukrainian Civil Society for as long as it is needed. The members of the organization believe that the wave of solidarity with the victims of the Russian invasion will not fade, and Czech citizens will continue to support Ukraine, for example through the organization’s collection on the Darujme portal. “Because we buy specific items that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine need, we see that every penny really helps. We thank everyone who has supported Ukrainian civil society with us, or is about to do so,” added Hadrbolec.
