"You have inspired confidence"
ShelterBox continues to distribute humanitarian aid. This is the second project implemented by the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy together with community foundations that are members of the network.
In the Boyarska community, Mr. Ihor also received a set of humanitarian aid. We talked to him to find out about the quality and appropriateness of the aid he received.
"I left, as they say, just took some clothes to get dressed, but I couldn't take anything with me because I was running away. I was not just leaving, I was running away."
Mr. Ihor fled from the village of Chornomorsk, Kherson region. The man has extensive experience in agriculture. In recent years, he has been working on his land. After being under occupation for 11 months, he left his house, tractor, cars and all other agricultural equipment. He did not even sell the harvest.
"I did not sell the grain I harvested. Because if I had sold it, they would have taken me with the money (Russians - ed.). That grain is still there."
Of the humanitarian aid received from ShelterBox, Mr. Ihor is most grateful for the kitchen set.
"It was the dishes that were a bit of a problem. The help is essential for us, because it is very difficult to buy everything at once. We do not have enough money for everything. I would like to buy more food. Since I don't work, it's a problem."
For 2 months now, the man has been trying to find a job, but to no avail.
"They won't hire me because I was beaten by those Russians, so I am registered in a psychiatric hospital. The psychiatrist gives me a work permit. Not every company wants an employee who has a record of being treated in a psychiatric hospital. This is the first thing. And the second is that I am 59 years old. No one wants to hire me as a pensioner."
Now the family is supported by Mr. Ihor's wife, who works at a factory. They live in Boyarka, in a house with IDPs from Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In a phone conversation, we ask the man if he has considered applying for targeted financial support for agriculture and tell him about our project "Harvest Path", which is being implemented, in particular, in the Boyarka community, together with the Boyarka Community Foundation with funding from the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Mr. Ihor writes down the name of the project to look it up on the Internet later.
"You gave me a little confidence, as they say, because I had forgotten about these programs. I was hoping that I would go to work for someone else. But I see that I still need to organize something of my own. I used to have my own companies before. I am an agricultural worker. Yesterday, I thought that if I had the money, I could at least plant half a hectare of tomatoes or something else. I've been doing this for more than 15 years. I grew early cabbage, for example. It's grown in a greenhouse, then transferred to the ground under a film. I know all the agricultural techniques literally. What chemicals to use, what pesticides are needed, what treatments."
In addition to working on the land, Mr. Ihor has another option.
"There is a demand for car repairs, so I used to do that. Moreover, in the past I worked as a driver. I disassembled, assembled, painted, and repaired them. I also repaired the mechanical part... The only thing I need is time and money to do it."
Several times Mr. Ihor thanks for the humanitarian aid he received.
"Thank those who are behind you. After all, this help is not small. Your help helps. This is not a nice word. It's hard to accept it when you're desperate.It's all psychological. And these small donations slowly turn into confidence for the future. Thank you."
The team of the National Network for the Development of Local Philanthropy is waiting for Mr. Ihor to apply for the next wave of the Harvest Way targeted financial support competition. This project has already helped 17 people and another 32 applications have been selected. There are 5 communities participating in the Harvest Way: Bar, Stryi, Novoyavorivsk, Voznesensk, and Boyarka.