Please tell us about yourself and what you are doing for living.
My name is Inna. I’m 33 years old, and I live in a «constant deadline mode». I mean, I don’t know how to stop and just do nothing. I’m educated as a financier, and I’m working in the banking sphere. Besides my main job, I’m a volunteer, and I was involved in it not on February 24th. I helped before the full-scale invasion, but the intensive work started more than a year ago. I officially joined the KD (Kyiv Defenders) team on May 1st. My initial task was to make stories. I passed additional training, so I had an experience in SMM. I remember our mini-interview with the SEO of Kyiv Defenders. He asked me how much time I could devote to volunteering? I answered that I could easily find 3–4 hours. As a result, I do it 24/7, not because I have to, but because I enjoy it. It’s like your booster, your lifeline to not go crazy. Maybe it sounds selfish, because we all help our country and military, but volunteering it’s a way to stay in shape. Besides this, I’m a mom. It is my additional motivator to increase the number of dead russians and win this war. My parents were in occupation for a month. For me, it’s a trigger that pushes me to do everything so that they don’t end up there again.
Where are you from?
I was born in a small town called Slavutych, which was built after the Chernobyl disaster. It’s incredible. I think I had the happiest childhood as I could have. My generation, grew up in the period of time when the station had already exploded, but there was no war or COVID-19 yet. Despite financial difficulties, our childhood remained a pleasant memory. At that time, Slavutych was definitely for children and about children. We had the opportunity to study, walk safely on safe streets, and enjoy childhood. Mine was very exciting.
Why did you decide to join Kyiv Defenders?
I heard about Kyiv Defenders from my relative earlier, but at that time I probably didn’t have an internal need to join. From the very beginning of the war, I donated and gave some basic things for those who need it. Also, it was a financial support for the military and physical support for civilians. It’s worth noting that on March 1, 2022, I went abroad with my child and returned to Ukraine on September 16 of the same year. Truly, I had never wanted to go home so badly before. Before going abroad, I had almost no driving experience, but I wanted to be on my land so much that I rushed home. I continued to help financially after arriving, and living abroad taught us to be minimalistic. You’ve realized that you can live for a month in one tracksuit, so you don’t need the other 5, but someone else does. This thought encouraged me to review my entire wardrobe, separating things that might be needed by someone more than me. I decided to give clothes to Kyiv Defenders because I trusted them and knew one of the team members. Once I saw a position, so I decided to secretly apply without telling my acquaintance. I wanted to get there on my own, not through friendly connections.
Tell us about the main aspects of work of this public organization for people who are not familiar with its activities?
The main focus of Kyiv Defenders is helping the military and civilians in frontline territories. We are where the fire is. We have provided assistance to more than 200 units on the front lines, but we don’t help units in the home front. We consider it more appropriate to support the guys at zero, as they are fighting for their lives and our independence. Kyiv Defenders help with everything – from personal hygiene products to drones. That is, the aid is conditionally divided into global ongoing projects, such as cars, generators, drones, some food, ammunition, thermal clothes, medicines, backpacks for paramedics. Something small but very necessary. Thanks to our partners, the military is fully equipped with everything they need, which is also very important, both for defenders and for the civilians of frontline territories. On the occasion of International Children’s Day, we built a playground in Novopokrovka. Thanks to our partners from Japan. It’s for children who live 30 kilometers from the front line, if I’m not mistaken. We also help medical institutions and rehabilitation centers in Toretsk and Kramatorsk. Our partners send us clothes, diapers, etc. Such assistance is directed to the civilian population.
Has your life changed since you started volunteering?
Firstly, there are incredible people in my life who motivate me, support me, and with whom I do truly important things. My life has changed because I always wanted to be part of a team that change the world for the better. I’ve got such an opportunity. I discovered myself from a different side. Volunteering takes literally 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. You have no days off, no understanding that it’s 11 pm now and this is time to go to bed. For example, last week I went to deliver a car to the military at 11 pm. This is the only time they can pick it up.
Life has definitely changed and become more stable. I understand that I am important and needed by my country. I understand that I have a team that is equally passionate and close to my values. I have less free time, it has disappeared completely. My child has become a volunteer, not of her own desire. Although she doesn’t mind, she goes everywhere with me: to events, to loadings, only rarely refuses. Sometimes she asks: «Please take me with you». This activity forces me to balance between work, personal life, motherhood and volunteering. Balance is not always successful, I’m very far from ideal in this matter, but somehow I balance it.
It’s very happy that there are people like you who teach children by their own example to help others and show how important it is. This is an extremely valuable contribution to our future. Thank you for this.
Thank you very much. It’s a cynical thing to say, but if it weren’t the war, I would never have raised my child to be such a patriot, despite all my desires. Before the war, my child and I were russian-speaking. Accordingly, we consumed russian-speaking content. Now, if my child hears that someone close said a russian word or even a Ukrainian performer plays in russian, she comes up and makes a remark. She doesn’t care that this is an older person, she can come up and say: «You know, you’re watching this video and buying a rocket that will fly at us».
Translator: Yuliia Koleha
