Aid from UOC-KP sent to Slavyansk
On Wednesday, July 16, the Department of Social Ministry and Charity of the UOC-Kyivan Patriarchate, together with the Public Committee Nastup and the initiative group Donbass SOS sent to Slavyansk more than four tons of humanitarian aid. The buses with necessary things set off in the afternoon from the territory of St. Michael's Cathedral.
The common aid was collected within two weeks and became perhaps the biggest lot of aid to the local residents and soldiers of the National Guard protecting those lands. All necessary things were brought by ordinary citizens. For the most part it consists of medical supplies, canned food, clothing, water cans, shoes, toys and more. In addition, many citizens brought the money.
The bus, around which all things were collected, was also a platform for communication, as many refugees from the East came up to it during these days. In particular, they were young refugees from the occupied cities, intending to return there soon.
“It is especially important to help the East, because we are one country. And the Church has to be close to people, to support them in difficult times, to provide possible help. Therefore we united with Eastern activists to begin transferring all necessary things to Slavyansk”, states head of the Social Ministry Department Serhiy Dmitriev.
The collection of assistance will continue further on, as residents of the city will slowly return to their destroyed homes for the purpose of starting a new life. However, Donetsk is also in urgent need of assistance, for there the militants of the “People’s Republic of Donetsk” keep young girls in sexual captivity, and the guys are handed guns and forced to fight against the Ukrainian army, says local resident Valentine, the group coordinator of Donbass SOS.
“Helping people in the East is needed, despite the fact that there were separatist moods, the majority is pro-Ukrainian there. And in Slavyansk, for example, mostly retirees remained who have no food, no water, no medical supplies. Almost all don’t have a place to sleep because their homes were destroyed”, he said.
Thus, the aid will be further continued not only to residents of the East, but IDPs in Kyiv and our military. Those willing may bring medication (heart ache, blood pressure), durable products, clothing and footwear to St. Michael's Cathedral, where the stock of humanitarian assistance continues functioning.
