People have lost their homes: some buildings were destroyed by shelling, others by the occupiers who lived there and left only dirt and chaos behind. However, our strength lies in solidarity. More than one generation of Ukrainians gathered for toloka, and as a group, they helped to do what was beyond the power of one. Yes, a hundred years ago, no one called it volunteering, but the sense remained the same: neighbours, friends and people who don’t want to stay aside helped those in need to build a house or cultivate a field.
Volunteers from Repair Together, the organization that restores houses damaged during the occupation, started the modern toloka. We talked to the founders about the initiative and those who make it possible, about the achievements and challenges of volunteering.
How it all started
The Repair Together initiative arose in early May 2022, when the Chernihiv region was liberated from Russian occupation. Destroyed villages needed support. Behind each demolished house stood families who needed to restore their daily routine and their lives.
Eight Repair Together team members were volunteering there until May, but chaotically, they realized that they should team up.
“At the time of the de-occupation of Chernihiv region, we brought humanitarian aid, like many other volunteer organizations, together with people and journalists from all over the world. But this time, we decided not to limit ourselves to one visit but to consolidate our strength and create an initiative capable of solving more difficult tasks. That’s how we created Repair Together,” says Dmytro Kyrpa, the project’s initiator.
They search for those who need help and also process requests from communities. Now they are working in three main directions:
- cleaning;
- reconstruction;
- targeted assistance.
In the time scale of one month, volunteers gather about a hundred people and go to the villages for two days to help the locals clean up the consequences of the destruction.
As part of the reconstruction program, low-income families get help: volunteers repair damaged windows and roofs and organize interior decoration works.
“We also provide targeted assistance to people in the villages. We don’t bring standard humanitarian aid but walk around the village and ask what the local people need. They often ask for home appliances, tools, and kitchen utensils. That is, what the occupiers stole from their houses in the first place. Through the network of our acquaintances or various organizations, we find necessary stuff and deliver it,” says Dmytro Kyrpa.
People running the project are doing their best to make Repair Together effective. Dmytro is in charge of general organizational issues and finances, basically people’s donations. In his peaceful life, he is a product manager in the IT field.
Oleksandr Kuchynskyi makes photo and video content for the initiative. He is also responsible for security at the toloka. Daria Kosiakova is in charge of communications and SMM, and Olga Kostiukevych is a copywriter. Viktoria Afanasyeva establishes relations with the press and charitable organizations. She also coordinates construction works and cleaning during toloka. Andriy Golota is also responsible for coordination and procurement.
It takes a lot of effort to organize toloka and communicate with volunteers. Tetiana Burianova and Oksana Guz are responsible for this direction. Tetiana is also engaged in purchasing targeted assistance and placement of volunteers, and Oksana also organizes trips and cultural programs.
Whom they managed to help
Volunteers are restoring houses in the Chernihiv region, in the villages of Lukashivka and Yagidne. Only 400 people live in Yagidny in 150 homes. After 26 days of occupation, every 7th house was completely destroyed, and there is not a single house that was not damaged.
Since May, Repair Together has managed to hold 4 tolokas and announce the fifth. Let’s talk about what they managed to do:
1st toloka
- 60 volunteers cleaned up garbage, took out burnt metal, glass, and wood;
- 4 houses with courtyards were cleared of debris;
- on one street, all the garbage was removed from the roadside;
- in 10 houses, measurements for further double glazing were made.
2nd toloka
- 60 volunteers joined again;
- 5 houses with courtyards were cleared of debris;
- volunteers made a list of stolen property, and began to purchase necessities;
- cleaned the house where the occupants were looking for money and various valuables.
3rd toloka
- this time already 100 volunteers joined (they organized a tent camp and an acoustic concert);
- delivered targeted assistance: blankets, clothes, household appliances, tools;
- cleaned, and removed garbage from the damaged areas.
4th toloka
volunteers worked in Yagidny and Lukashivka — cleared 20 areas of garbage;
finished cleaning the territories in Yagidny;
started the work of an artisans team who carry out spading, priming, plastering, and painting walls in houses.
5th toloka was held on the 18th – 19th of June.
You can apply on the initiative’s page to help eliminate the consequences of the occupation of villages in the Chernihiv region.
How to join and help
Repair Together publishes trip announcements and tells about its activities on Instagram and Telegram. You can join the initiative via these social media.
“At the moment, it is essential for us to get the support of large foundations and charitable organizations to increase the efficiency and reconstruction scale. Any building materials or the opportunity to buy them at a discount will be also helpful.
Some unnecessary equipment, tools or furniture can be given to people as targeted assistance. And we will find those in need and will deliver help.
Information support is very much needed so that more people can join us. For example, for the next toloka, we plan to gather 200 volunteers. And a little later — to engage masters with construction skills. And, of course, you can support us financially,” says Dmytro Kyrpa.
The initiative is growing rapidly, with new people joining every week and organizations offering material assistance and support.
Dmitry says: “We started with our own desire to help, and in the process, it turned out that there are many people like us. The initiative is growing at a crazy speed, and dozens of new people join us every trip. Everyone is very proactive. We never once had to force anyone to work or explain why it is necessary.”
