On Monday, three members of staff from Big Help Project arrived in Ukraine.
As an organisation which , since the outbreak of the war, has been committed to supporting local and displaced Ukrainians in Liverpool since the escalation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Big Help have made the decision to take their efforts further afield by talking with those on the ground in Ukraine to further understand how to shape all future support.
Making the trip to Ukraine will be our Ukrainian Engagement Officer, Anna Ekvist, accompanied by our Senior Executive Officer and Strategic Ukraine Liaison, Alex Molton, and Senior Project Officer Ukraine Liaison, Peter Cribley.
Over the five days spent in the country, the team will be speaking to – and forming closer working relationships with – various individuals and organisations on the ground to subsequently form a targeted list of objectives and needs that takes into consideration situational and regional differences. Big Help’s priority is ensuring that all support provided is decided with Ukrainians’ guidance at the forefront.
With already existing ties with the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, forming a network of organisations which can advise on future efforts is imperative to Big Help’s approach to this aid, with assistance that can focus on both the minutiae of grassroots volunteering efforts and the bigger picture.
Alexandra Molton (Senior Executive Officer and Strategic Ukraine Liaison) said:
“Having studied International Disaster Management, I spent many years learning about how individuals and organisations have responded to disasters, putting their lives on the line to save others and do what they can to help. As a passionate humanitarian, I am proud to be in a position where I can do the same, using a bottom-up approach to listen to and learn from Ukrainians on the ground, in order to tailor Big Help’s approach in providing support to Ukraine during such difficult times.”.
Peter Cribley (Senior Project Officer Ukraine Liaison) said:
“Ever since I arrived in Ukraine nine years ago, one thing has been vitally important to the work I do: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. This trip is an essential part of hearing exactly what Ukrainians need and building the capacity and network to deliver exactly that. Ukraine was the place I called home, and I still think of it as a home. When someone attacks your home, your family, and your friends, you want to do something, anything to make that stop. Thanks to Big Help, I feel like I’m in a position to help Ukraine and because I can do that, I know that I should.”