CEDEM made a video in which Ukrainians thank volunteers for helping the military, rebuilding destroyed houses, and providing humanitarian and psychological support.

The house of Larysa Larina from Irpin was damaged after shelling with cluster munitions. But the volunteer construction battalion “Dobrobat” repaired everything, especially the roof, which was damaged the most. Larysa is sincerely grateful and, together with other Ukrainians who received help from volunteers, became the heroine of the video from the Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law.

In the video, the military evacuated from dangerous cities and Ukrainians who received humanitarian and psychological aid from volunteers say “thank you” and urge them to take care of their own safety as well. They remind them that it is important to wear a bulletproof vest when going to a combat zone, as well as get more sleep and spend time with the family members. 

“The vector of gratitude is chosen to acknowledge the vital role of volunteers in our society and to encourage citizens to appreciate and support volunteer initiatives more”, says Anna Isichko, CEDEM Deputy Director and Coordinator of the Project Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity. “We try to emphasize that heroes with no weapons, without a doubt, deserve recognition, support and help. And we hope that this campaign will stimulate a culture of gratitude among citizens who understand the importance of supporting volunteers and volunteering”.

Several Ukrainian Influencers have already joined the video flashmob, such as Khrystyna Zhuk, Kateryna Markova, Mark Melnychenko, Iryna Symchych and Kateryna Burrell (Katia Blostka). They asked everyone to join the flashmob and thanked the volunteers for their help and the military for their protection. After all, the path to victory is still long and challenging, and Ukrainians must remain united. The Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law has collected useful materials – about the safety of volunteers and NGOs. You can read the materials here.

This material was prepared by CEDEM as part of the Project Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by the Initiative Center to Support Social Action “Ednannia” in partnership with the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM).