In the NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’,” there is a special unit that, by the form and essence of its activity, is called “Caregiver.” Currently, these are women—mostly IDPs—who have prior experience in the field of social or medical training. They work in dormitories in Kharkiv, where elderly people evacuated from combat zones and threatened territories are now residing. All of them have IDP status and, for the most part, suffer from serious physical limitations.   On average, each caregiver has about fifteen wards. Their responsibilities include monitoring compliance with proper hygiene, nutrition, and timely medication intake. On a social level, our colleagues can help with grocery and medicine purchases. They can call a doctor or contact case managers regarding legal issues, humanitarian aid, transportation, or any personal problems that arise among the beneficiaries of NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’.”   However, the main aspect of their work, arising from the very nature of their activity, is psychological support and emotional engagement during interactions between caregivers and their wards. Listening, calming, and instilling hope in the hearts of elderly, often disoriented, and sometimes seriously ill people is the daily task of our colleagues. At the same time, remaining empathetic and positive is a prerequisite for professional and deeply responsible performance of their duties. One might think these are just dry facts and the functions of executors, but behind them lie human relationships, often filled with high emotional tension. The wards miss their caregivers: there is room for everything here—resentment, secrets, and jealousy. Riding the crest of this emotional wave, caregivers “surf” through psychological swings even beyond their shifts.   To strengthen resilience and enhance the overall awareness of our caregivers, NGO “CNGD ‘Volunteer-68’” has initiated and conducted a series of training courses on psychology, first aid, rehabilitation, and legal aspects of caring for vulnerable population groups. In this way, we strive to express our respect and interest in the personal growth and emotional well-being of our colleagues. At the beginning of spring, it is customary in the post-Soviet space to congratulate women on “Women’s Day.” Regardless of the overly sexualized and gendered nature this red date acquired in the former USSR, Women's Solidarity Day still signifies gender emancipation and social progress, rather than just male attention with flowers.    However, social progress, enriched by women's intuition, makes it seemingly incomparably more inclusive for all social strata, branches, and niches that make up humanity.   And the symbol of this more inclusive world, which does not leave behind the poor and sick, nor those who do not fit into conventional norms, can arguably be the figure of the Caregiver.   So, despite the fact that early March in our region is traditionally cold and gloomy, and in present times also explosive and bloody, we congratulate our women caregivers, along with women worldwide, on this bright holiday of Empathy and Progress.

The training center of the Volunteer-68 NGO once again hosted a training session for first responders. This time, the lecture and practical exercises were devoted to stopping bleeding in two different ways, namely by applying tourniquets and by tamponading wounds. In the theoretical part, lecturer Mykhailo Morgun focused on the safety and logic of first aid, touching on its legal aspects. But the main thing that our trainers tried to convey was the algorithm and protocol of actions of someone who can potentially stop the bleeding of a victim. How to recognize the signs of bleeding? Where and in what way, depending on the nature and intensity of the bleeding, can certain stopping techniques be applied? The trainers drew our attention to these fundamental questions, presented in various situational scenarios, throughout the six hours of training. Mykhailo Morgun and his assistants from the Vostok Tactical Medicine Center demonstrated the rules of applying different types of tourniquets in practical classes, and after several attempts our colleagues have mastered this art. As for tamponade, we more or less coped with this challenge, although training on dummies is naturally different from the cruel reality.    This was just one of the modules of premedical training and we sincerely thank the rescuers from the Tactical Medicine Center “East” for their professional presentation of the difficult material.

Employees of the NGO “Center for Humanitarian Aid ‘Volunteer-68’ constantly face unexpected psychological circumstances, logistical crises, emotional problems, and sometimes situations that pose a threat to their lives and the lives of their wards. That is why our organization periodically conducts trainings that are close to our activities and are designed to expand experience or introduce new ones. Trainings aimed at personal growth and psychological relief stand out in this line. For example, in order to optimize interaction between all colleagues and various departments of the NGO “Volunteer-68”, a training was held to stimulate intuitive approaches to creative solutions, teamwork and pairwise dialogic cooperation in a playful way. The event was focused on the problem of harmonizing individual actions with a collective goal and mutual trust between the players. In the format of mime theater, the participants tried to convey the mimic message set by the coach as accurately as possible through the chain of players. The result was very pleasing to everyone present and at the same time clearly demonstrated that improper perception of information leads to critical distortion. The mise en scène, which reproduced the interaction between the manager and the managed, showed that it can be considered adequate only when the “manager” has a strategy and his instructions are clear, and the “executor” perceives them carefully. The scenarios involving collective efforts to achieve a result illustrated the need to invent and test appropriate technology, and the team competitions revealed the need for individual initiative and sometimes playing on the verge of a foul to achieve victory. Improving understanding and empathy among colleagues is key for humanitarian organizations, as understanding and empathy are key tools in their interactions with those they are trying to help.

The crews of the NGO "Volunteer - 68" carry out evacuation flights to rescue people with limited mobility not only from the threatened frontline areas. We have also repeatedly participated in events coordinated by the office of the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets to exchange Ukrainians who remained in the occupied territories against their will. It has always been about evacuating civilians with physical disabilities, which is the specificity and priority of our organization. On New Year's Eve 2025, the crew of the "Volunteer - 68" went to the border with Belarus to pick up sixteen-year-old Georgiy, a disabled person since childhood diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Heorhiy came under occupation, one might say, from the first hours of the war, because at the time of the invasion he was in a children's neurological dispensary in Oleshky. His brother Petro, his only relative, had been trying to get his younger brother back for almost three years. And finally, thanks to the joint efforts of the Ombudsman's Office, special services and exchange negotiation teams, it became possible. At first, Heorhiy was sent from Oleshky to Moscow, where, according to him, he was fattened up. The Russians probably intended the exchange to bring them a certain media bonus: look how caring we are. Then the guy was sent to Minsk, where Petro met him, and from there the brothers were taken to a certain place on the border with Ukraine, where the evacuation crew of the "Volunteer - 68" Center was waiting for them. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you exactly how our crew was organized to enter the territory of Belarus, because it was a special operation, the details of which were insisted upon by the curators of the exchange. However, our colleagues crossed the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in a completely trivial way - through a checkpoint. From that moment on, the trip became completely regular and even routine. After all, the journey from Novi Yarylovychi on the border to Cherkasy, in the heart of Ukraine, was unusually calm and safe. Now Heorhiy, a surprisingly nice guy, is being taken care of in a specialized institution in Cherkasy. We wish him all the best in life.

Among the priority areas of social rehabilitation work carried out by the NGO "Volunteer - 68", one occupies a special place. This is a project called “60+Active”, which is unique in its versatility. The result of its implementation should be the development of a therapeutic space of trust and peace for one of the most affected segments of our country. The essence of the project is to create and maintain a social platform for women over the age of sixty. These are not just elderly women, but women who have been uprooted from their usual environment, whose homes have been destroyed and whose property has been lost. These are women who have been under occupation for a long time, who have suffered under enemy shelling, who have lost their loved ones. These women are internally displaced persons (IDPs). How do we try to maintain this space? The project consists of several rehabilitation practices that are equivalent in impact, although they differ in form, based on the gender and age of the participants. These are traditional get-togethers with tea and coffee and goodies, where women can communicate naturally with each other and the organizer, usually a professional psychologist, who naturally guides the communication in the most favorable and non-conflictive direction. Such an event can be combined with a joint screening of classic Ukrainian films, which performs a certain transcendental function - mentally returning women to their young, carefree years. Workshops are another form of psychological rehabilitation for women. As a rule, they are led by craftswomen who are skilled in handicrafts or by someone from among the project participants who have mastered some simple art that takes up their hands and does not interfere with communication. Among such events, for example, were master classes on making rag dolls, creating various variations of origami and toy animals from woolen threads, and similar activities that are not tiring and promote relaxation. The next way we organize our activities in line with the 60+Active project is to hold lectures and psychological trainings. This is done by invited specialists. For example, lectures on gender-based violence (GBV) and strategies to combat it, psychological relief trainings, as well as manual and hypnotherapy sessions are conducted by a certified specialist, Kharkiv psychologist Natalia Korotia. How is the 60+Active project being physically implemented? There are two options here. Either our employees bring IDP women from the places of compact settlement (CCs) to the training center of the NGO “Volunteer-68” and the event takes place at our center. Or we bring lecturers or trainers and everything necessary for the event directly to the place where the 60+Active participants are staying. “60+Active” is a way for older IDP women to adapt and restore their vitality and improve their emotional state as soon as possible. This project is not a one-time event, its effectiveness lies primarily in its ongoing nature, regularity of meetings and involvement of the widest possible range of participants. And we, in turn, will continue to think about diversifying and intensifying this initiative of the NGO “Volunteer-68”.

This report presents the results of a survey conducted among the beneficiaries of the "Volunteer - 68" Humanitarian Aid Center to determine their socio-demographic characteristics and current needs. The survey covered 555 respondents, including women with disabilities, people with limited mobility, and those who care for bedridden patients or people with disabilities. The study is based on data collected from September 17 to November 28, 2024 , and includes an analysis of the information received through four focus groups. The report provides an in-depth analysis of the life challenges, needs, and level of social support required by these groups.

At our initiative, in early 2023, a shelter for people with limited mobility and disabilities was set up in a Kharkiv dormitory. The project was to be implemented within the framework of the program “Warming centers and evacuation: providing assistance to the affected population of Ukraine” with the support of the Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe. The work was carried out with the financial participation of the Vostok SOS Charitable Foundation. The partners allocated over UAH 1,000,000 to purchase the necessary materials and equipment. Thus, the first transit shelter for vulnerable people with physical disabilities was to appear in Kharkiv. And on July 26, 2023, the Bez Boundaries shelter was opened. The shelter is designed to accommodate 34 people at a time. The rooms have all the necessary equipment and functional beds. Medical and psychological assistance will be provided around the clock. The premises are located on the ground floor and have a separate entrance with a ramp. There are no steps or thresholds - all accessibility requirements for people in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility have been taken into account. Shelter will host evacuees from the dangerous areas of Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts around the clock. It is expected that they will be able to stay here for up to a month while the shelter staff looks for a place for them to live permanently. During this time, lawyers will provide free legal aid to the victims, for example, if they have lost their documents as a result of the war or have problems with pension payments due to prolonged stay in the occupied territory. Head of the Humanitarian Aid Center “Volunteer - 68” Galina Kharlamova It's been almost a year and a half since the Bez Boundaries shelter opened its doors. “Some people stay here for two or three days, others for a month, depending on the situation. On average, it is about two weeks. We restore documents and conduct medical examinations. Afterwards, the evacuees are sent to their relatives or to safe places in Ukraine or Europe, where they can be well taken care of,” says the head of the Humanitarian Aid Center. “Volunteer - 68” Halyna Kharlamova. “We have twelve people working in three shifts, as well as drivers and administrators,” Halyna continues, ”There are caregivers on each shift who provide sanitary and hygienic services. There is a paramedic and a nurse who monitor people's condition. If necessary, a doctor comes to see them.” Even in such bad times, a good initiative with the right approach overcomes hopelessness and despair, giving hope for the future. As of today, the No Borders shelter has helped about three hundred people.

Volunteers in Ukraine are a large and friendly family, where everyone is ready to lend a shoulder to their fellow man without hesitation. Joint evacuations from war zones, distribution and delivery of humanitarian aid, joint participation in tenders... And many, many more areas of collective work for the benefit of affected or threatened people. Cooperation is a practical ideology of volunteering. The CO Charitable Foundation “ East SOS ” has been supporting the activities of our organization for the second year. More than a year ago, we opened the Bez Mezh shelter together. This is a temporary shelter where we take in IDPs who have lost their mobility and people with disabilities who need round-the-clock care. Here, this category of the most vulnerable people has the opportunity to recover a little from the hardships of wartime. And, of course, to receive indispensable help. Thanks to the timely funding of the charity organization, East SOS managed to repair the roof of a new rehabilitation center with a long-term shelter for people with disabilities. Here, people will be able to survive the winter in comfortable and safe conditions, where they will be properly cared for. We sincerely thank our fellow volunteers for their help. Together we will overcome any obstacles.

Key figures and funding

The NGO “Center for Humanitarian Assistance "Volunteer - 68" within the framework of the project "Drive for Inclusion", implemented within the framework of the program ‘Capable and Strong’, implemented by the Eastern Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland, announces a tender for the implementation of repair and finishing works in the premises of an inclusive educational space - coworking at the address: Kharkiv, Makiivska Street, 51A Date of announcement of the tender extension 03/05/2024 Deadline for submission of tender proposals 03/11/2024 (inclusive) Date of announcement of the winner 03/15/2024 Subject of procurement Repair and finishing works LOT 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 9. The detailed list of works for each LOT is described in the Annex to this Announcement Form of payment Cashless payment Term of work execution 05/10/2024 The application and documents to it are accepted by e-mail: Office@volonter68.kharkiv.ua with a mandatory indication of the subject line: “Bid for LOT... name of the bidder”. Contact person: Galina Kharlamova, +380661617432, Natalia Mazur, +380674948092.

The NGO “Center for Humanitarian Aid ‘Volunteer-68’ within the framework of the ‘Drive for Inclusion’ project, implemented under the ‘Capable and Strong’ program, implemented by the Eastern Europe Foundation with the support of Switzerland, announces the extension of the tender for the repair and finishing works in the premises of an inclusive educational space - coworking at 51A Makiivska Street, Kharkiv. Date of announcement of the tender extension 03/15/2024 Deadline for submission of tender proposals 03/21/2024 (inclusive) Date of announcement of the winner 03/25/2024 Subject of procurement Repair and finishing works LOT 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 9. The detailed list of works for each LOT is described in the Annex to this Announcement Form of payment Cashless payment Term of work execution 05/10/2024 participation in the tender: Letter of application from the participant (in any form with a mandatory indication of the desire to participate in the tender, awareness of the terms of the tender, experience in performing work and consent to the processing of personal data); An extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs and Public Organizations (availability of relevant types of economic activity, information about officials, etc;) Proposal for the cost of work: Consolidated estimate of the cost of the construction object (in accordance with Form 5 of the AVK-5 Software Complex) and its annexes (Contract price, Explanatory note); Local estimate for construction works (Form 1 of the AVK-5 software package) and the Final statement of resources, calculation of general production costs to it. ​ Proposals submitted after 03/21/2024 will not be considered. Proposals are accepted on the principle of “one participant = one proposal”; in case of submission of several proposals, only the first of the received proposals will be accepted. Information about the proposals is not disclosed until the winner is announced. Tenderers may submit a proposal for the entire scope of works or for a separate LOT. The decision on the winner will be made for each lot for which there will be separate offers. The application and documents to it are accepted by e-mail: Office@volonter68.kharkiv.ua with a mandatory indication of the subject line: “Bid for LOT... name of the bidder”. Contact person: Galina Kharlamova, +380661617432, Natalia Mazur, +380674948092. Criteria for selecting the winner (in order of importance): Price proposal for the cost of the work Experience of work performance Terms of work performance. Based on the results of the tender, each participant will receive an email on 03/28/2024 regarding the offer made by him/her. The results of the tender will be communicated to all participants no later than 4 working days from the date of the decision to determine the winner by sending relevant notifications to all participants in the procurement by e-mail.

In wartime, in a time of destruction and real threats to life, knowing that there is a reliable place to get real help often means the only way to escape. We are pleased to share the great news that the Volunteer - 68 team has almost completed the repair of the Family Inclusive Shelter for families from Kharkiv affected by the hostilities, including those with a disabled or elderly family member. What will this mean for evacuated families? The opportunity to live together with family members. Comfortable conditions for caring for family members with limited mobility. Support from case managers in solving legal and social issues. Adaptation and socialization in the new environment without stress. What we did: We renovated and equipped the 65 m² Family Shelter. It is a place for three families to live at the same time. We provided inclusivity: a separate entrance, an adapted bathroom. We have already received applications from families in need of shelter. In the shelter from NGO Volunteer - 68 , they will find family comfort, help and understanding. It is here that they will be able to adapt, cope with the psychological effects of stress and understand what to do next. We are inspired by the fact that we have the opportunity to help people in this difficult time. We express our sincere gratitude to HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation for supporting our initiative.