Three weeks ago, an old classmate whom I hadn't seen for over 40 years wrote to me on LinkedIn. Although we hadn't spoken for decades, he had been following the work we were doing in Ukraine with The Small Projects Team and wanted to contribute with a donation, which turned out to be substantial. Thank you Edouard!

Together with Magda and Natalia, it took us no more than two hours to decide what to do with the money. We regularly receive requests for help from individuals or small local groups living near the front line - most often for basic needs such as food and hygiene products.

In Ukraine, the problem is not so much supply: most products are still available in shops or online. The real problem is affordability. Many have lost everything since the start of the war in 2014, and even more so since 24 February.

The most vulnerable are often the elderly. The average pension is around 150 $ per month. A third of pensioners receive just 80 $, and almost 30 % live on even less. Regional differences are enormous: in the west of the country, pensions can be 75 % higher than in the south or east.

So we've launched a new initiative: the Relief Box.

These 200 boxes, focusing on the elderly and households in great difficulty, will be distributed in Kherson by our friends and colleagues at the Union of Help to Kherson (biz.in.ua).

These boxes are 100 Ukrainian %: local products, assembled with care, delivered to areas that are often inaccessible because of the danger.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Union of Help to Kherson has been one of the few NGOs to continue distributing aid in and around the city, despite the constant bombardment and extreme risks. Their teams have never stopped. Read this article by Anna Bowles on the terrible 'human safaris' that the people of Kherson endure on a daily basis: https://annabowles.substack.com/p/human-safari-in-kherson-city

Like our Tsikava Hatka programme for children in hospital: https://thesmallprojects.org/en/tsikava-hatka/

The Relief Box is designed as an intelligent, effective and dignified Ukrainian response to urgent needs. All products are bought in Ukrainian supermarkets (with discounts), without repackaging, ready to use.

These are hygiene products - washing tablets, washing-up liquid, wet and dry toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes, bin liners - and foodstuffs.Ingredients: sunflower oil, tea, marinated mushrooms, biscuits, pork sausage, flour, pasta, sugar, salt. The cost of each box is €25, and the principle is simple: uone box per household, with priority given to households with seniors or children

➡️ You can finance one or more by clicking here: https://donate.stripe.com/4gM00jgvGh2w8ab0Y39sk05