Kira Rudik 

Rudik is a member of Ukraine’s parliament, and she is currently staying in Kyiv to defend and advocate for her people, whilst taking matters of the Russian invasion into her own hands. This includes learning how to use a Kalashnikov rifle, in which she said “holding a Kalashnikov gives me hope”. She feels Putin underestimates the power and strength of the women of Ukraine.

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska

Whilst being at her husband, Ukrainian president Zelensky’s side throughout this crisis, Olena has used her platform to speak the truth, no matter how brutal or candid this is. She hopes that sharing this truth will help the people of Russia understand the damage that is being done to Ukraine, with one of her recent posts sharing heartbreaking photos of Ukrainian children who have been killed as a result of the Russian attacks.

She ended her posts by saying;

“Show these photos to Russian women – your husbands, brothers, compatriots are killing Ukrainian children! Let them know that they are personally responsible for the death of every Ukrainian child because they gave their tacit consent to these crimes.”

Olena also took to Instagram to honour the women of Ukraine, sharing that the current resistance has a particularly female face;

“Before the war I once wrote that there are two million more women in Ukraine than men. Statistics are just like that. And now it takes on a whole new meaning. Because this means our current resistance has a particularly female face. My admiration and bow to you, incredible compatriots!”

“To those who fight…to those who heal, save, feed. And to those who continue to do their usual job – in pharmacies, shops, on transport, in utilities, so that life lasts and wins. To those who take children to shelters every day without panic and entertain them with games and cartoons to save children’s consciousness from war. To those who give birth in bomb storage.”

Ambassador Oksana Markarova

Oksana Markarova is the Ukrainian ambassador for the United Nations, and she has been following the lead of her boss, Zelensky, in ensuring she uses all media platforms to persuade the international community to rally together in support of Ukraine. From defending her country and advocating for Ukrainian’s human rights, she is a woman who we are grateful for today.

Ellison Barber 

If you have been following the crisis on news channels and social media, you may have seen the viral clip of Barber’s broadcast being interrupted by a young girl who wanted Ellison to play football with her. Barber is just one of the women in journalism who is risking her life whilst being out in Ukraine to keep the world informed of the events unfolding. 

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen is another woman who is using her platform and position to advocate for the Ukrainian people’s rights. Currently, she is pushing for the eradication of fossil fuels, and looking for the EU to stop depending on Russian gas, oil and coal. By implementing these sanctions on Russia, their economy will hugely suffer, in turn impacting Putin. 

Ursula shared this clip for International Women’s Day, highlighting the incredible Ukrainian women who are dedicating their time to supporting their community. 

Refugee Centre Staff

With the people of Ukraine being forced to flee their country, refugee centres are a crucial part of aiding the transition for the emotionally and physically exhausted Ukrainian refugees. The largest percentage of Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland, with many firstly stopping at Korczowa, a nearby town on the Ukrainian-Polish border. The Korczowa refugee centre has around 2000 camp beds set up, with an expected 700 people sleeping there a night. The staff of refugee centres work 24 hours a day to ensure help is available for the Ukrainian refugees, and for that, we feel they need to be mentioned. 

The Women Of Ukraine 

At the epicentre of this crisis is the people of Ukraine. It is hard to comprehend the emotional trauma they are currently dealing with, with women forced to leave their homes and uproot their family’s lives, or send their children to safer locations whilst they stay in Ukraine. The desperation for safety has never been so apparent, particularly in a recent news story where Yulia Volodymyrivna Pisecka had to stay in Zaporizhzhia to care for her sick mother, forcing her to send her 11-year-old son on a 600-mile journey to the Slovakian border on his own. Yulia had written a relative’s phone number on his hand, ensuring he had somewhere to stay when he reached the border.  

More recently, as a result of the Russian attacks on Irpin, Ukrainians were forced to flee the city. Pictured above, we see an elderly lady having to endure a tough, physically demanding evacuation, a situation no elderly woman should have to face.

These are just two examples of the tough decisions and situations being faced by mothers and women in Ukraine, and we can’t imagine how difficult this must be.

This International Women’s Day, we are grateful to those who are making history by fighting for Ukrainian rights, and we are keeping the brave women of Ukraine in our thoughts. 

If you would like to learn how you can support Ukraine, you can find out more here.

Words By Nadia Clasper

_{Photo Credit: Hindustan News Hub}

The post Honouring The Women Making A Difference In The Current Humanitarian Crisis appeared first on Voir Fashion.

On the 24th of February 2022, Russia launched a devastating invasion on Ukraine, as President Putin breaks a 2015 peace deal between the two countries. Airports and military headquarters were targeted first, before bombs rained over cities and residential areas, leaving Ukrainian civilians in devastating circumstances. Putin’s orders have inflicted serious casualties on innocent Ukrainians, with hundreds of lives lost already. Families and children have escaped to bomb shelters, and over half a million Ukrainian citizens have fled to Poland and other nearby countries, to seek refuge.

Like many of us, you may be feeling helpless in this worldwide crisis as thousands of Ukranians flee to safety. We have put together a few ways that you can help Ukraine and their innocent citizens. Whether you have the means to give to charity or, you have spare clothes, toiletries and food – every little helps.

Donate To Charity

Save the Children – “As this war unfolds, our Ukraine crisis response aims to reach 3.5 million vulnerable children and their families.”

Services include distributing essential supplies and winter kits of clothing and blankets as temperatures plunge below freezing, providing cash and vouchers assistance to families to meet basic needs like food, rent and medicines, offering vital mental health and psychosocial support to children and their families, and providing access to safe, inclusive, quality education. Visit their website to donate.  

British Red Cross – “We are gravely concerned about the intensification of fighting in Ukraine over the past few days. People are losing their homes and lives; families are being separated. Essential services, like water and healthcare, are under threat.”

Donations will help provide food, water, first aid and medicine to those in need. Visit their website or call 03000230820 to donate. 

UNICEF –  “UNICEF is especially concerned for the safety and wellbeing of children who have become separated from their families We are working round the clock to keep families safe.” Your donations will go towards providing families with access to clean water and healthy food, helping to make sure that child health and protection services continue, and the assessment of the refugee situation across neighbouring countries. Visit their website or call 0300 330 5699 to donate. 

UNHCR – “UNHCRcover every angle of emergency response.”  Services include; providing camps in safe zones, installing water and sanitation, and providing emergency care to injured civilians. Visit their website to donate.   

Donate essentials 

Organisations across the UK are accepting clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries, and other essentials to help Ukrainian citizens, and those that have been forced to flee. 

In London, The White Eagle Club is now taking donations of clothes, clean shoes, bedding, and sanitary products for refugees in Poland. 211 Balham High Road, SW17 7BQ. The Lewisham Polish Centre is taking donations of soups in cups, disposable table wear, nappies, cardboard juices, and wet wipes. 8 Waldram Park Rd, London SE23 2PN.  

Additionally, The Polish Integration Support Centre’s British and Polish Solidarity with Ukraine campaign is collecting donations at sites across the country.  The locations include; Polish Social Club, Southampton – 507 Portswood Road, SO17 2TH, Polish Merseyside Liverpool – 254 County Road, Liverpool, L4 5PE and BeeHouse Manchester – Deansgate Locks, 2 Whitworth Street, Manchester M1 5LH. 

Words By Lucy Rosenberg

_{^{Photo Credit: @Olivier_rousteing}}

The post Ukraine’s Humanitarian Crisis: What We Can Do To Help appeared first on Voir Fashion.