One more story about our volunteers – perhaps they were the ones who started the volunteer headquarter of the "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya". Why "perhaps"?... Let’s talk about everything in turn.

These are Oleksandr Shershun and Kostyantyn Blazhevych, or Sasha and Kos. In the joint chat they are responsible for the "pluses" – prompt responses to requests, and behind each such + is actually work done. Our first dialogue went like this:

People say that you are in charge of the warehouse and that you have organized the work of volunteers here.

Answer:

– Yes, we are in charge here. Everyone you see here is in charge. At first, there was terrible chaos in the warehouse – people, cargo, sorting, forming shipments... But then everything was organized and now it works like a clock (it seems to be Swiss – ed.).

Sasha and Kostya are volunteer multi-taskers. If there is such a word, it is about them. The guys transport, carry, pack, load, send, search, contact, receive-give, discharge, repair... And so on almost every day.

Oleksandr has been at the volunteer headquarter since February 24, and on February 26, the first truck with humanitarian aid from Germany arrived at the warehouse.

– Back then, no one knew exactly what was happening and what was needed. That’s why the first humanitarian aid trucks contained everything, and everything was incomprehensible, not structured, not sorted... The warehouse was just filled with piles of different things that caring people were trying to deal with. Our warehouse at the end of February was very different from its current state.

Before the war, Sashko was a private entrepreneur whose business activities ended with the outbreak of war.

– The war changed everything – both globally and for every person in Ukraine and beyond. A lot of people passed through the warehouse. We didn’t count them, but it’s definitely thousands. These are IDPs, volunteers, drivers, doctors, and soldiers... To understand that now everything is not the same as it was before February 24, you just need to look people in the eye – it’s all there. Some are afraid, some are confused and don’t know what to do, and some want to do everything, but don’t know what to grab onto. But people quickly get used to it, learn and, in fact, can do more than they think.

In addition to volunteering with the Committee, Kostya has been the head of the NGO "Zakarpattya-Donbas" for several years, which takes care of IDPs and is now actively advising citizens on how to organize their lives in their new status.

– I came to the warehouse probably at the end of February, and everything started very chaotically here. And now everyone in the team has their own responsibilities, everyone knows their own area of work. But at the same time, we can definitely help each other, back each other up... Despite the fact that the work is already quite well organized, the organization is expanding the scope and areas of assistance, accordingly, new tasks are emerging for us as well. I am sure we will manage!

From the warehouse, the aid begins its journey: for IDPs – to shelters in Uzhhorod, throughout Zakarpattia and other regions, for doctors – to hospitals in the east, south, north and center of the country, for the military – to where it is needed in the first place.

We have already formed a certain network of communication with volunteer groups in Zakarpattia and across the country, which simplifies both logistics and its speed. Volunteering is both a new experience and new friends. In fact, the usefulness of this work is not only from us, but also for ourselves. As for the moments that stick in my memory, it is always something about people. And here I can talk about not very pleasant aspects, when, for example, as a volunteer, you are told that you owe someone something, but this is not true. But I’ve had such experience since 2014-2015, so it’s nothing new. And the good thing is also people, because look at our team – it’s a real pleasure to be in it!

And finally, a story that all the volunteers at the warehouse definitely remember, namely the sudden appearance of lines of people who came to receive humanitarian aid. We didn’t know why and where these visitors came from (at first we didn’t know), but we had to react. And Sashko and Kostya were the first to provide this response on the spot. Hundreds of food kits were packed from what was available. By the time all the stocks were exhausted, Uzhhorod IDPs had received several thousand packages of food and hygiene products from the CO "MACZ". Later, the case of self-organization of the volunteer headquarter worked again, and the necessary aid was sent directly to the places of compact residence of IDPs.

Aspects that are not usually included in any job description, but which are indispensable in today’s turbulent times, are a sense of humor and a lending shoulder. We are glad that the volunteer headquarter of the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya has no problems with these things.

You can read more stories from the life of our community here and here. We continue to work…