Category: Humanitarian/Medical

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ONE PATIENT’S JOURNEY WITH THE CANADA UKRAINE SURGICAL AID PROGRAM

The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) provides comprehensive surgical assistance to Ukraine’s victims of war. CUSAP takes on the most complicated patient cases from the Russian invasion that, at this time, would not be able to receive full treatment in Ukraine. All patients treated on CUSAP surgical missions have suffered ballistic trauma from firearms or munition.

Since the establishment of CUSAP in 2014, a multidisciplinary team of Canadian medics has treated 286 patients with multiple complex injuries, each requiring several operations and procedures.

Serhii was a patient on missions 3 (April 2023) and 4 (September 2023) in Poland. He suffered a mine-blast injury on November 24, 2022. Serhii was left with severe damage to his spine, a shrapnel injury to the back wall of his chest, and serious trauma to his upper and lower extremities, including a traumatic amputation of his lower left leg and a gunshot fracture of his right femur and left humerus and scapula. He also sustained shrapnel injuries to both forearms. 

Those of us without medical training cannot fully understand the extent of Serhii’s injuries. However, we can all sympathize with his horrific experience and long and challenging journey to recovery.

With the care and skill of the CUSAP team and Serhii’s resilience and determination, Serhii has now taken his first steps since the injury.

Serhii upon arrival to CUSAP’s 3d mission in Spring 2023
Serhii at mission 4, Fall 2023

Serhii had two very complicated surgeries during the third mission and another two procedures during mission four performed by CUSAP‘s multidisciplinary team of surgeons. His right leg was saved. This is him now:

“Serhii is representative of the people of Ukraine. He has made a personal sacrifice for his community and country and indeed the global community of such magnitude we might only imagine. I am extremely lucky to have met him, and that he was willing to allow me and our team to help him through this process. For all that he’s done and been through I am in awe and feel privileged to have participated in his care. I look forward to watching him through his recovery and to meet again someday soon.“ – Dr. Graham, orthopedic surgeon from Winnipeg who led Serhii’s case.

Over the last decade, hundreds of volunteers and thousands of donors have been involved in the CUSAP initiative, impacting the lives of Ukrainian victims of war. We invite you to continue leaving your mark of hope by donating today to support CUSAP. Together, we can make a real difference, bring hope and healing through life-changing surgeries!

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CANADA UKRAINE SURGICAL AID PROGRAM – CUSAP ANNOUNCES ITS 5TH SURGICAL MISSION IN POLAND

The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP), a project of the Canada-Ukraine foundation (CUF), is pleased to announce its 5th medical mission in Poland, taking place from April 19 to May 8.  

CUSAP is a nonprofit program. Its volunteers aim to provide comprehensive state-of-the-art multidisciplinary trauma care and post-trauma reconstruction to both civilian and military casualties of war in Ukraine and to support Ukrainian healthcare professionals through education in trauma reconstruction. Canada-Ukraine Foundation has funded this life-changing surgical assistance program since 2014. The upcoming April-May mission will mark the 12th mission supported by CUF (7 run in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion).

Over the last decade, hundreds of volunteers have been involved in the CUSAP initiative, impacting the lives of thousands of Ukrainian victims of war. CUSAP’s purpose is to provide patients sustainable, quality care with compassion and integrity.  

The April-May mission will have a team of 60 volunteers, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, ICU-intensive care physicians, internists, OR and ward nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and support staff.  
The incoming trauma patients will receive complete assessment, including psychological, necessary scans, lab work, post-operative assessment, pharmaceutical medications, and referrals for psychological and physiological rehabilitation. CUSAP patients sustain some of the most severe injuries from the war and require complex reconstructive surgeries, including craniofacial, microsurgical, orthopaedic, and extremity procedures. The entire cost of care and treatment is funded by donations to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation / CUSAP.  

In addition, a team of biomedical engineers will be partnering to create necessary 3D custom models and implants to ensure the best results in reconstructive surgeries. The team will work side by side with Ukrainian surgeons and physicians, providing hands-on training and mentorship.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the donors for their unwavering support, which has made the missions possible. Your contributions are the lifeline that allows us to change lives one surgery at a time. We invite you to continue leaving your mark of hope by donating today to support CUSAP. Together, we can make a real difference!

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CUF-UCC UKRAINE HUMANITARIAN APPEAL AIDS THE “CITY OF GOODNESS”

“Every person is a story, and we try to ensure that every Ukrainian child’s story who we care for becomes a good story,” says Marta Levchenko, founder of the shelter and rehabilitation centre City of Goodness in Chernivtsi, Ukraine.

As a teenager, Marta Levchenko volunteered with Roma children in Zakarpattia region and with women who had experienced domestic violence. Years later, in 2018, her foundation established the City of Goodness to help mothers escaping domestic violence or living in poverty and unable to provide for their children. The shelter provides not only temporary accommodation for those women and their children but also professional psychotherapy, medical care, education, professional training and assists with finding employment, so that these women could get back on their feet and start their lives anew with their children. The mission of the shelter is to help women so that they could keep their children and be able to care for and raise them well.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the City of Goodness has also opened its doors to the internally displaced from across Ukraine, including the territories occupied by the Russian Federation.

The Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal — a joint effort of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) — has recently provided a grant to the City of Goodness. The grant has helped provide shelter, food, and medicines to 400 people, including internally displaced women with children, the elderly, victims of domestic violence, and orphans from Odesa and Mykolaiv regions. The shelter has also taken in 35 homeless pets that have since become therapy animals to young residents of the City of Goodness.

Additionally, with the funds raised at a concert in Montreal for the City of Goodness, another grant was given to the shelter to help cover the construction of a centralized water and sewage system for their new building (hospice) as well as an elevator platform.

Sofia Yatsyuk, organizer of the fundraiser in Montreal, visiting the “City of Goodness”

The City of Goodness is a shelter and rehabilitation center that sets a high standard and is a role model for other regions of Ukraine to follow. Managers from the social sector come to learn about the shelter’s broad spectrum of services provided under “one roof,” The organization’s all-encompassing procedures and management style have made it a success story for so many.

Last year, the City of Goodness received a medical license and became a robust ecosystem, employing psychologists and rehabilitation specialists. “Little Domna, who is being raised by her grandmother, could not sit up on her own. Recently, she stood on her own for the first time,” says Levchenko proudly. “Thanks to the donors, we were able to buy a leg implant for Domna.”

For her significant achievements in the charitable sector, Marta Levchenko was included in the Ukrainian Pravda 100 Power of Women, dedicated to women who are saving Ukraine now. 

Marta Levchenko with the residents of the “City of Goodness”

Your donations to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal support projects like the City of Goodness, they change lives of so many for the better, they provide safety, shelter and care – thank you!

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News Community/Education Humanitarian/Medical Projects

OVER 1,000 FAMILIES IN UKRAINE ARE SUSTAINED WITH GLUTEN-FREE FOOD FOR A YEAR

The World Health Organization estimates that 1-2% of people worldwide have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder resulting from a permanent intolerance to gluten. In Ukraine, according to experts, at least 300 thousand suffer from this disease.

“People can have gluten intolerance and may not know about it for years, and at the same time be treated for diseases caused by gluten intolerance.” explains Dr. Olga Naumova, an allergist, President of the Ukrainian Celiac Society.

Fifteen years ago, Dr. Naumova united families with children suffering from celiac disease and founded the Ukrainian Celiac Society. For the past decade, Dr. Naumova and volunteers have been conducting educational campaigns, explaining the dire consequences of this disease such as diabetes and infertility.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, there was a new, developing market focused on manufacturing of gluten-free foods. Eleven family-run Ukrainian companies produced licensed gluten-free products – four of them are currently under Russia’s temporary occupation and three ceased to exist. Families in need of gluten-free foods, have been facing both a sharp reduction in availability and significant price increase.

A grant from the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) – a joint effort of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, to the Ukrainian Celiac Society is providing around 1,000 specialized food boxes a month for families with children suffering from gluten intolerance over a period of 12 months.

Thanks to the support of our Donors, with this grant we are helping families with children suffering from Celiac disease and support local manufacturers of licensed gluten-free foods.

“For parents of children with celiac disease, it is important not only to receive a specialty food box but also be able to source locally these foods in the future. The grant from UHA helps these families sustain their children’s health and the health of small niche businesses,” emphasized Dr. Olga Naumenko.

Thank you to all who continuously enable a variety of humanitarian aid to Ukraine through the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal – do donate, please follow the link www.cufoundation.ca.

Background

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in January of 2022 by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada.

To date, we have delivered over $70 million in food, medicine, emergency shelter, mental health support, surgical aid, firefighter gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators, and many more types of aid, including in-kind donations.

Please click here to read further about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine.

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Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal supports the rehabilitation of war victims.

Many injured Ukrainians, both military personnel and civilians, are taken from the frontlines to the Unbroken Centre in Lviv every week to receive specialized medical care, including reconstructive surgery, physical rehabilitation, and prosthetics care. Since February 2022, Russia has maintained their daily violent attacks on Ukraine, leaving thousands with complex injuries, many of which healthcare facilities in the country are under-equipped to treat.

The National Rehabilitation Centre Unbroken, which is already providing orthopedics services, burn care, prosthetics manufacturing and fitting, reconstructive operations, physical therapy, and mental health treatment to children and adults, hopes to increase their scope. With millions of internally displaced Ukrainians—over 11,000 of these requiring prosthetics—there is a lack of adequate health care in the country able to keep up with the demand.

With a generous grant from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and Ukrainian Canadian Congress’ (UCC) joint project, the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA), the Unbroken Centre will be able to purchase specialized equipment, such as treadmills, treatment tables, and complex rehabilitation systems for their patients. Additionally, the grant will go towards the training of healthcare workers to further their skills in prosthetic care, reconstructive surgery, and rehabilitation. The training will allow 10 medical professionals to travel to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto for 2 weeks, while hundreds of others will be given the opportunity to join online sessions related to their respective fields. 

The grant will allow the Unbroken Centre to treat more than 120 people with inpatient rehabilitation, as well as 660 people receiving outpatient care monthly—totaling over 9,000 annually. After experiencing horrific trauma, both physical and mental, thousands of injured Ukrainians will be able to recover near their families within their home country.

Images provided by “Unbroken”

The aid that the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been delivering to Ukraine over the past 19 months is vast and diverse, and is made possible by our steadfast supporters – thank you!

Two fundraisers were held in recent months to support the project “Unbroken”.

On July 15, an event called Art-Edude was held at the Montreal Art Centre to benefit the “Unbroken” Rehabilitation Centre through the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. As a result, $6,200 were donated to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation for this project.

Currently, the City of Winnipeg is holding a fundraiser for Unbroken Centre to mark the 50th anniversary of its sistership with Lviv, Ukraine. To learn more and support, please click here.

We are truly grateful that there are so many caring and generous people across Canada who continually organize events in support of our ongoing projects.

Presentation of funds raised at the Art-Etude event, organized by Eramelinda Boquer, to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation for the “Unbroken” project.

Background

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in January of 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada.

To date, we have delivered over $47 million in food, medicine, emergency shelter, mental health support, surgical aid, firefighter gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators, and many more types of aid.

Please click here to read further about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia and donate.

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News Humanitarian/Medical

CUSAP 4th Life-Altering Mission in Poland – 27 patients, 32 operations, 105 procedures.

“Those suffering have absolutely no one to turn to. Ukraine is at absolute capacity,” says Dr. Antonyshyn, founder and head surgeon of the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP).

Unfortunately, Ukraine’s overburdened healthcare system cannot alone handle the immense patient needs caused by the war. They need the help of international partners like CUSAP. The complex injuries referred to our group of highly-skilled medical volunteers require a multidisciplinary surgical team and the latest technology in facial implants.

During this 4th mission held in Czeladž, Poland, 52 Ukrainian patients were consulted, and 27 were operated on. During one week, the team performed 32 surgeries, which included 105 procedures: craniofacial, orthopedic and hand / peripheral nerve.

The surgical missions are specifically designed to address craniofacial trauma, soft tissue trauma, upper and lower extremity reconstruction and burn reconstruction. 

The heart and soul of these missions is the multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthetists, intensivists, nurses, administrative staff, and other specialties, including psychologists and an occupational therapist. This is a well-rounded team of incredibly skilled professionals who continuously volunteer their time and expertise to treat those severely injured in Russia’s unprovoked, genocidal war on Ukraine.

“It is such a privilege to be able to help these people. They deserve all the help we can give”, said Dr. Chris Graham, an orthopedic surgeon.

Photos credit: Andrey Syrko

The hardest part of every mission is the goodbyes when we see patients being repatriated back to Ukraine. Over the course of their treatments, they become friends and family, leaving an impact on the hearts of each member of the team. The heartfelt gratitude of these patients leaves a mark that lasts a lifetime. “We had love. Now, thanks to you, we also have health”, said the wife of one of the patients.

Photos credit: Andrey Syrko

Over the 4 surgical missions held in Poland – September 2022, November 2022, April 2023 and September of 2023:

  • 95 patients operated on
  • 110 surgeries performed
  • 331 procedures
  • 14 microvascular free tissue transfers

We are very grateful to all who continuously support CUSAP’s life-altering surgical missions. We would like to extend a special thanks to the two anonymous donors of $200,000 CAD and $75,000 USD, who supported this latest mission – thank you sincerely on behalf of the 27 patients who now have a chance at a better quality of life!

Our next surgical mission is planned for the early part of 2024. Please consider supporting this vital project of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation by donating at www.cufoundation.ca.

Background

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine.

Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) is a humanitarian surgical aid initiative established by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation together with the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in 2013 that provides life-changing care to patients affected by the war in Ukraine. The surgeries have significantly improved the quality of life of Ukrainians who undergo the operations.

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CUSAP missions restore hope for a better-quality life.

It has been nineteen months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in an almost 10-year-long war. Thousands of lives have been lost, and thousands are forever changed by injuries sustained either on the battlefield or while simply waiting for a bus or turning in for the night. During the twenty-first century, in the heart of Europe, this is the reality of millions in Ukraine.

Surviving a mine blast or a missile attack is a blessing, but it is also the beginning of a long and painful journey to recovery. Veterans and civilians with craniofacial, head and neck, and orthopedic injuries who cannot be further helped in Ukraine are referred to the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP), where a team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, nurses, and support staff deliver complex, life-altering reconstructive surgeries and pre- and post-surgical care to give patients a chance to return to a normal life.

For a glimpse into the life-altering work of the CUSAP team, we would like to share the story of Pavlo, one of 286 patients helped since the program was established in 2014 by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre under the leadership of CUSAP’s head surgeon, Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn.

About a third of patients return for multiple missions as their injuries are so severe that their recovery is a multi-step process with many procedures performed by the multidisciplinary team of surgeons. Pavlo is one of such repeat patients. He sustained a mine blast injury on August 31, 2022. He was missing the midsection of his face with full exposure of his nasal cavity. Pavlo was referred to CUSAP and became a patient in November 2022, CUSAP’s second mission in Poland.

To date, he has undergone reconstruction of his nasal framework, followed by nasal reconstruction and lip reconstruction and revision. Between missions, he was operated on by Dr. Oleksandr Lompas, a Ukrainian surgeon, who joined several missions and operated alongside Dr. Antonyshyn and the Canadian team. Dr. Lompas managed Pavlo’s case in Ukraine and performed smaller operations to maintain his progress and prepare him for the more significant procedures on the missions.

Please meet Pavlo and see his progress with CUSAP…

Photos by Andrey Syrko

On Tuesday, September 26, Pavlo had another long set of surgical procedures done by the CUSAP multidisciplinary team to further reconstruct his midface with a forearm flap and bone and skin grafts.

As Pavlo nears the end of his recovery, there are many more who are only at the beginning. As the war continues and Ukraine fights to liberate its land and people from under Russian occupation, more veterans and civilians will need reconstructive surgical aid.

We are grateful for the generosity and steadfast support of our donors for enabling the CUSAP team to restore hope and change lives of hundreds of Ukrainians, like Pavlo, who have suffered a serious physical toll as a direct result of war.

To continue supporting the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program, please visit www.cufoundation.ca. Thank you, Дякуємо, Merci.

Background

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia.

Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) was established by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation together with the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to help Ukrainians who were severely injured during the Revolution of Dignity in 2013 and the subsequent war in Eastern Ukraine in 2014. Since then, Canadian plastic surgeons have operated on 286 patients – civilians and veterans. The surgeries have significantly improved the quality of life of Ukrainians who undergo the operations.

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Access to safe water renewed for 25,000 people in 36 villages of Kherson oblast.

Russia has relentlessly targeted civilian infrastructure in the Kherson Oblast, leaving many villages without a safe water supply. Access to clean water is not just a necessity but also a fundamental human right. Before the area was liberated from Russian occupation, water pumps and towers were damaged, destroyed and stolen by the occupying forces.

The Kakhovka Dam, a crucial part of Kherson’s civilian water infrastructure, was repeatedly targeted by Russian artillery and completely destroyed on June 6th, resulting in thousands of people losing access to fresh, drinkable water.

An additional challenge faced by these impacted communities is the lack of a regular water supply for their crops and household vegetable gardens, which causes poor yields. While already having to withstand daily Russian rocket attacks, the destruction of water supplies—the lifeline of these rural communities—adds yet another threat to their survival. 

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) through their joint effort – the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA), have ensured that 36 villages in Kherson’s Beryslav Region along the Dnipro River regain access to safe water by contributing USD $50,000 to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), enabling the purchase and delivery of 40 submersible water pumps and 60 1,000-litre water tanks.

UCCA, a well-established non-profit organization and founding member of the Ukrainian World Congress, is working closely with Ukraine Protection and Development Fund (UPDF) to ensure the efficient and effective allocation of these water pumps and tanks. The villages receiving this assistance are among the most underserved for humanitarian aid in the area, primarily due to their dangerous proximity to Russian forces, with some located just a few hundred meters from the frontline. 

The funds for this project were collected at a fundraiser breakfast featuring a keynote address by the Honorable Bob Rae on June 27th. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, over 25,000 local and internally displaced people now have access to clean water. This relief not only provides immediate assistance to these villages but also ensures their long-term sustainability. Together, we are making a significant impact on the lives of thousands of Ukrainians affected by the war. However, our work is far from over. We will continue to advocate for the rights of these communities and strive for a future where access to clean water is guaranteed for all. 

The aid that the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been delivering to Ukraine over the past 19 months is vast and diverse, and is made possible by our steadfast supporters – thank you!

Background

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in January of 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada. To date, we have delivered over $47 million in food, medicine, emergency shelter, mental health support, surgical aid, firefighter gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators, and many more types of aid.

Please click here to read further about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia and donate.

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News Humanitarian/Medical

CUSAP Team Lands in Poland for the Fourth Surgical Mission.

The Canada-Ukraine Foundation is pleased to announce the fourth humanitarian surgical aid mission of the Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP), which will take place from September 17 to October 4, 2023, in Poland. 

Next week, CUSAP surgeons, internists, nurses, and support staff will travel to Poland to deliver complex and life-altering surgeries to Ukrainians injured during Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.  

Every CUSAP mission hopes to ease the tremendous burden on the Ukrainian healthcare system by lending the time and expertise of our highly skilled and dedicated volunteer medical professionals, who deliver surgeries as well as pre- and post-surgical care with integrity and compassion. 

Photos taken by Andrey Syrko

The Canada Ukraine Surgical Aid Program would not be possible without the help of our collaborators and the support of hundreds of donors. 

In addition to funding from the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, we would like to express our gratitude to two incredibly generous anonymous donors, who contributed $200,000.00 CAD and $75,000.00 USD to fund the September 2023 CUSAP mission. 

It is the generosity of all our donors and supporters that enables the Canada-Ukraine Foundation to restore hope and change the lives of Ukrainians who have suffered a serious physical toll as a direct result of the war. Thank you, Дякуємо, Merci! 

To make your contribution and follow the latest news on CUSAP, please click here. Canadian donations are eligible for tax receipts from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. 

Background

CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada.

To date, we have delivered over $46 million in food, medicine, emergency shelter, mental health support, surgical aid, firefighter gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators, and many more types of aid.

Please click here to read further about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia and donate.

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News Humanitarian/Medical Projects

Four boats handed over to State Emergency Services of Ukraine for Special Rescue Operations

Ukraine has been living in a state of full-scale war since February 24, 2022. Its civilian infrastructure has been targeted on a daily basis – from residential buildings, hospitals, schools, day cares, and town squares, to power grids and, more recently, the Kakhovka water dam, that significantly escalated the humanitarian and caused ecological catastrophe in Ukraine, leaving behind an irreversible and devastating impact on the lives of thousands.

The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam revealed shortages in the stock of rescue boats and other equipment available to the branch of Ukraine’s State Emergency Services in Kherson, which was due to the region’s occupation by Russia for over 9 months. During that time, the offices and supply warehouses of the State Emergency Services in the area were robbed and damaged.

As reported in June, following the attack on the Kakhovka Dam on June 6th, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), through their joint effort – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, immediately redirected the delivery of food boxes and family emergency kits (consisting of a water purification unit, hygiene kit and a solar light) to the regions affected by the disaster. As of today, the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has also donated 4 motorized rescue boats – 2 Ribs and 2 Navigators, to the State Emergency Services of Ukraine in an effort to begin replenishing their stock.

“In order to save people during the flood caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, rescuers of the State Emergency Services brought boats from other departments across Ukraine. For example, 90% of the watercraft kept in Kyiv, were transferred to Kherson region,” explains Oleksandr Melnyk, deputy head of the department of special technical support of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Services. “Therefore, the boats we now received through the CUF-UCC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, are very important, as we will be able to start replenishing some of our emergency stock located in various regions.”

Two Navigator boats received by the State Emergency Services were transferred to their branch in the city of Dnipro, and two hard-bottomed Rib boats were transferred to the Kyiv branch. 

The aid that the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has been delivering to Ukraine over the past 18 months is vast and diverse, and is made possible by our donors – thank you!

Background

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was launched in 2022 by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) to coordinate the provision of humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently to civilians impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including relief for displaced persons in Europe and Canada.

To date, we have delivered over $44 million in food, medicine, emergency shelter, mental health support, surgical aid, firefighters gear, individual first aid kits, ambulances, generators, and many more types of aid. Please click here to read further about our humanitarian relief efforts since the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) was established in 1995 to coordinate, develop, organize and implement aid projects created by Canadians and directed to Ukraine. Read more about CUF’s history on Wikipedia and donate.