“I’ll Take It On and Get It Done”: The Story of a PromTech Welding Course Graduate

Published: November 9, 2026

At the graduation ceremony, students bring out… a barbecue grill. They joke that it’s their final exam, fitting for a group that has just completed a welding course.

In welding, every joint needs to hold strong. The same is true of a country’s economy. Ukraine has plenty of work to do, but not enough workers to do it. Some Ukrainians have left the country, while others have left their jobs to defend Ukraine.

That’s why Razom supports the Prymprylad Charitable Foundation’s PromTech educational initiative, which offers short-term training programs to prepare skilled workers for today’s manufacturing industries.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has forced many industrial businesses to relocate to the country’s western regions. At the same time, the defense industry is expanding and construction is picking up. All of these sectors need skilled workers.

Ten participants completed 80 hours of welding training at the Ivano-Frankivsk Construction Vocational School. The program covered three main welding techniques: manual metal arc welding (MMA), gas metal arc welding (MIG/MAG), and gas tungsten arc welding (TIG). Students began with safety procedures, materials, and welding technology. Then they moved on to hands-on practice, learning to strike and maintain an arc, create even welds, and make butt and fillet joints in different positions.

At the welding course graduation ceremony, we met Oleh Kovalskyi. He spoke candidly about whether four weeks of training can really provide the skills needed to find work.

When Experience Isn’t Enough

Oleh smiles as he says he has never been afraid of hard work. Over the years, he has worked as a physical education teacher, a civil servant, and the CEO of a football club. There has always been plenty to do at home, too. He has renovated his own apartment, installed drywall, and feels confident handling electrical wiring.

“I once needed to build a brick wall. I had watched other people do it, so I went ahead and built one myself. It wasn’t perfectly straight, but I got it done. That wall is still standing in the village today. It does its job,” he says.

Oleh had also been familiar with welding equipment for years, dating back to his service in the Soviet Army. But knowing how to operate a welding machine and having the skills to work as a welder were two different things.

“I knew what a welding machine was. I knew where to connect everything. But I didn’t understand why the electrode kept sticking or why I couldn’t get a proper weld. I simply couldn’t get the job done,” Oleh recalls.

He found out about PromTech’s courses through social media while searching for job openings. An advertisement caught his attention.

“I was surprised that the courses were free. But when I read about how they were funded, I understood the idea behind them: they were designed for internally displaced people, veterans, and anyone who wanted to learn a new trade. I also understood what a meaningful goal the donors were supporting,” Oleh says.

Training That Meets Real-World Needs

After an interview, Oleh spent four weeks learning the theory and practicing different welding techniques. Things didn’t always go smoothly at first, but the instructors’ support made a difference.

“When you start welding using one method or another and things aren’t working out, the instructors come over and say, ‘All right, all right, keep going.’ Even when things are clearly not all right,” he says with a laugh.

Oleh realized just how valuable the theoretical knowledge he had gained was when he applied for a welding job abroad.

“They don’t ask how much welding experience you have or ask you to show them your work. They ask, ‘What about 111?’ And I know what that means. It refers to manual metal arc welding with a covered electrode. Or they ask about semi-automatic welding. After the course, I know what they’re talking about and where to look for the information I need.”

While still taking the course, Oleh found a new job. It wasn’t a welding position, but his newly acquired skills soon came in handy. Within a month, he had a chance to put them to the test.

“We needed to build a metal stand. I looked at it and said it wasn’t strong enough. The welds were poor and wouldn’t hold. Rather than spend money on replacing it, I went to my instructors and asked if I could use their workshop ahead of time.

It’s great to have a properly equipped space like that. There are angle grinders, versatile welding machines, and, importantly, worktables where you can secure the metal pieces.

And there I was, doing the work — and it was actually turning out well! Maybe 50% of it even looked good. I felt this surge of pride. It meant those four weeks hadn’t been wasted,” he says, smiling.

An Idea for a Business

At the graduation ceremony, the director of the Ivano-Frankivsk Construction Vocational School invites graduates to return to the workshop whenever they need it. Oleh shares his experience of working with the instructors and says he would be happy not only to come back but also to pay for access.

In fact, he encourages the instructors to consider turning the workshop into a social enterprise. He is even willing to help brainstorm ideas and develop a business plan.

“Set an hourly rate for using the workshop — say, 500 hryvnias an hour. I’d be the first to show up and pay those 500 hryvnias, knowing the money would go back into the school. A quality workshop costs money to maintain. If the school has already equipped one with grant funding, and you can also get advice or ask an instructor for help when you run into a difficult situation, that’s ideal,” he says.

Among the things Oleh gained from the course is something no certificate can capture: confidence in himself.

I jokingly ask whether his wife is proud of him. He looks a little embarrassed but smiles and says she is.

“The most important thing is that this is my own personal upgrade. When I need to do something, I’ll take it on and get it done. And if I have doubts or feel unsure, I know who to turn to for help. That’s what matters most,” Oleh says.

Support That Helps Ukraine Stay Strong

Four weeks may not be enough to become an experienced professional, but they can give someone the skills and confidence to take on real work. Oleh’s story shows that Ukrainians are ready to work, and with the right support, they can accomplish a great deal — and inspire others along the way.

What they need is access to the skills employers are looking for. Investing in vocational training strengthens Ukraine’s economy, helps people regain a sense of dignity and purpose, and builds the capacity of communities to recover despite Russia’s ongoing attacks.

Supporting Ukrainians as winter approaches is just as important. Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with missiles and drones, leaving people without electricity, heat, and water.

Learn more about Razom’s winter support initiative and join us in helping Ukrainians get through the winter at the link below.

Creators or Victims of History: How Razom Brings Ukraine’s Civil Society Together

Published: October 29, 2026

During a work trip to the United States, people ask me, ‘Don’t you think you have a weak government if civil society has to do so much?’ I say no. Let’s look at it another way. Ukrainian society is so active that it can sometimes step in and perform functions that would normally belong to the government.

Viktoriia Klymchuk-Dluhach, General Manager at Razom for Ukraine, during her opening remarks at the fourth annual Razom Sylnishi (Razom Stronger) conference.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s civil society has taken on enormous responsibility. Nonprofits and charitable organizations support the government, the military, and civilians. They help people get through crises and rebuild their lives. But who supports the people who help others?

That was the question at the fourth Razom Sylnishi (Razom Stronger) conference, which brought together nearly 200 representatives from more than 80 local nonprofits and charitable organizations supported by Razom through grants. Held in Ivano-Frankivsk, the conference is part of Razom’s long-term program to strengthen Ukraine’s civil society. Its goal is to help organizations grow, build their capacity, find partners, and continue their work even in difficult conditions. Many other organizations in Ukraine had to cancel their planned conferences because of security concerns and financial constraints.

Razom Sylnishi 4.0 took place at Promprylad, a Razom partner. One of the main themes was collaboration: how organizations can join forces, find partners, and work together to address challenges that no single organization can tackle alone.

The conference program was shaped by the needs of organizations receiving grant support from Razom. Topics included fundraising and financial sustainability, team mental health, and micromanagement.

“We want this conference to be a place of inspiration and support, where new connections are made and a new day begins. We hope you feel that this conference was created for you,” said Anna Solovei, Director of Relief and Connect Programs.

The Power of Partnerships

During a workshop for organizations working with young people, participants identified more than 15 potential partnerships in less than ten minutes. They discussed joint training programs for young people and teams, sharing expertise, and ways organizations could support one another.

“We do everything we can to encourage our grantees to connect and develop joint projects,” said Andrii Nimkovych, Razom Sylnishi project manager and conference organizer.

This year, Razom also recognized the winner of the Best Partnership award. The Voznesensk Community Foundation received the award along with a $1,000 institutional grant.

At a panel discussion on partnerships, the foundation’s leader, Viktoriia Baltser, noted that her organization was already carrying out or planning joint projects with nearly every speaker on the panel. Her team had even more partnerships in the works after the conference.

People United by a Common Purpose

Off the record, participants shared that they wished they had had more time to talk with one another. Their conversations covered education in Ukraine, employment, and the integration of veterans into society.

Some stepped outside their usual circles and learned about the challenges other organizations face. Others discovered that their experiences were not so different from those of their peers—and felt relieved to know they were not alone.

“This is my first conference, and I’ve realized one thing: we need to talk to one another. No problem is unimportant, and no problem is too small. Everything can be worked out. I’ve learned a lot today,” said Vladyslav from Volia Veteraniv (Veterans’ Will).

Culture Brings People Together, Too

The conference was about more than working sessions and sharing experience. It was also an opportunity to get to know the city, its culture, and the people creating new spaces for communities to connect.

Participants had the opportunity to visit the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theater. One of the conference speakers was Yurii Fyliuk, an entrepreneur, civic leader, and founder and CEO of the Promprylad project. Promprylad has transformed an industrial site into a place where different communities, ideas, and initiatives come together.

Like civil society, culture creates space for dialogue. It brings people with different experiences together, helps them better understand one another, and opens up possibilities for collective action.

Finding the Strength to Keep Helping Others

People who support others need support themselves. That is why the conference program included a workshop by Razom z Toboyu (Razom With You) on burnout and mental health.

Some participants admitted that they had not realized how exhausted they were until they ended up in intensive care. For people who are responsible for teams, projects, and helping others every day, their own well-being often comes last.

One participant, whose organization works to restore homes and support families affected by Russian attacks in the Kyiv region, joked that her team had sent her to the conference to “get some sleep.”

Behind the joke was an experience many Ukrainians know well. Russian attacks, overnight air raid alerts, and constant sleep deprivation take a particularly heavy toll on people living in Kyiv and Ukraine’s eastern and southern regions. Ivano-Frankivsk was chosen not only as a place for civil society organizations to meet, but also for safety reasons and to give participants a chance to rest.

“ I wasn’t in a very good place emotionally before the conference, but now I’ll go home feeling so much better!” shared Nadiia Korotaieva from Plast, Ukraine’s national scouting organization in the Odesa region.

Sometimes, continuing to help others starts with taking care of yourself. It also means being among people who understand your challenges, can offer support, and remind you why your work matters.

Creators or Victims of History?

At the end of her opening speech, Viktoriia Klymchuk-Dluhach recalled a quote by Yevhen Konovalets that she had shared during a conversation with Americans:

“We have a choice: to be creators or victims of history.”

“Ukraine’s civil society is choosing to be a creator of history, not a victim of it. Razom supports you as the people shaping Ukraine’s history,” Viktoriia said.

Nonprofits and charitable organizations across Ukraine put this choice into action every day. They support service members and veterans, help civilians, advance education, and find solutions to complex social challenges. They keep going even when they need support themselves.

The Razom Sylnishi conference is one way to provide that support. As part of Razom’s long-term commitment to strengthening Ukraine’s civil society, it creates a space where organizations can find the energy, connections, and inspiration to continue their work and help those who need it.

Razom brings together people who do not wait for history to decide Ukraine’s future for them. They are helping shape it themselves.

“No One Prepares You for Disability”: A Veteran Finds His Way Back to Rock Climbing After Losing Both Legs

Published: October 22, 2026

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Oleksandr Zhovnenko loved the mountains and rock climbing. After a serious injury on the front lines, he lost both legs but did not give up the activity he loved. At an adaptive climbing training camp supported by Razom, Oleksandr tried special prosthetic feet designed to help people with amputations climb rocks for the first time.

Today, he is also the captain of Ukraine’s national para ice hockey team. We spoke with Oleksandr about recovering after an injury, the support of the veteran community, and his plans to climb mountains again.

I started talking to guys who had already gone through the process of getting prosthetics

Oleksandr Zhovnenko, veteran of the Russian–Ukrainian War

From Injury to Para Ice Hockey

“No one prepares you for disability. You don’t think, ‘I’m going to serve in the military, but what if I lose a leg or something else happens? How will I live?’” Oleksandr says.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, he organized trips around the world and later worked in IT. After the birth of his first child, Oleksandr joined the military and became a drone operator with the Azov Brigade, part of Ukraine’s National Guard.

During his service, a Russian artillery shell hit the dugout where Oleksandr was resting before his next shift.

“After the explosion, the dugout caught fire almost immediately. I got up to run out but fell right away. My right leg was hanging on by bits of skin and clothing. I applied a tourniquet immediately. Everything inside the dugout burned. Two of us suffered shrapnel wounds. Everyone survived,” he recalls.

About a week and a half later, doctors amputated Oleksandr’s other leg in Lviv. While still receiving treatment and using a wheelchair, he began attending para ice hockey training sessions.

Other veterans became an important source of support. They had already received prosthetics, returned to work, and found ways to rebuild their lives after injury.

“I was still in the hospital, going through doctors’ appointments and surgeries. Almost immediately, I started talking to guys who had already gone through the process of getting prosthetics. They had their own lives and jobs. I think that helped me avoid falling into depression. I saw that life could still be okay,” Oleksandr says.

Today, he is the captain of Ukraine’s national para ice hockey team. Along with giving motivational speeches, he keeps the team’s spirits up by dancing. In August, the Ukrainian team defeated Great Britain 4–0. The Ukrainian national team has been around for only one year, while the British team has been around for 10 years.

Moving Forward and Climbing Higher

Before the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr loved hiking in the mountains and later took up rock climbing. After his amputations, he returned to climbing at an adaptive climbing training camp, where he tried special prosthetic feet designed for the climbing.

“I had seen people with prosthetics climbing at a pretty high level. The American coaches brought special feet designed for rock climbing. I could feel how much more comfortable they were than the ones I use for walking. I even thought about whether I could make something similar myself using my old prosthesis,” he says.

For Oleksandr, the camp was a chance to see what he could do with the new equipment. For the other participants, it was an opportunity to try adaptive climbing with guidance from experienced coaches.

Building Skills and Creating Opportunities for Other Veterans

The five-day training camp brought together nine veterans and 12 coaches. Participants trained at an indoor climbing gym in Ivano-Frankivsk before moving on to natural rock formations in Kamianets-Podilskyi.

Razom supported the project in partnership with the Ukrainian NGO Veterans Civilian Petros, the Second Breath Charitable Foundation, and Paradox Sports, a U.S.-based organization from Colorado.

The camp was about more than giving veterans a chance to try adaptive climbing. Another key goal was to train Ukrainian coaches who can use these skills in their future work with people with different disabilities.

The coaches learned how to use specialized climbing prosthetics for people who have had a leg amputated, as well as safety systems for climbers with paralysis. The American partners also provided specialized equipment worth $10,000.

But adaptive climbing takes more than the right equipment. Coaches need to know how to adapt climbing techniques to each person’s needs and make sure every training session is safe. The Paradox Sports coaches shared their experience and practical skills with their Ukrainian colleagues.

With Razom’s support, the project is helping Ukraine develop not only adaptive sports programs but also a community of trained coaches who can make sports more accessible to veterans and other people with disabilities.

Now I don’t pay attention to my prosthetics.

Oleksandr Zhovnenko, veteran of the Russian–Ukrainian War

New Summits Ahead

For Oleksandr, one important sign of recovery is feeling confident in everyday life again.

“Now I don’t pay attention to my prosthetics. And the most important thing is that my loved ones can forget I have them, too. They don’t have to think about it. It feels good to have regained my ability to do things and to know that the people around me don’t have to worry about me,” he says.

Before his injury, Oleksandr dreamed of climbing the Tatras. Now, he is planning that climb again. Special equipment, support from friends, and his experience returning to rock climbing have helped him see that this goal is still within reach.

“The Tatras have terrain and shapes similar to the Alps and even the Himalayas, but they aren’t as high. That means you can practice your climbing techniques there. Now I can see that it’s possible. I already have a circle of friends and people I know who can support me and help me. It feels like there’s still so much ahead,” Oleksandr says.

Oleksandr’s story shows that recovery is about more than medical treatment and prosthetics. It is also about returning to the activities you love, finding a community of people who understand your experience, and being able to plan for the future again.

By supporting initiatives like this, Razom helps veterans discover new opportunities and gives Ukrainian coaches the knowledge and tools they need to work with people with disabilities. What starts with one training camp can open up new possibilities for many people across Ukraine.

Stronger Leaders, Stronger Civil Society: How Razom Invests in the People Building Ukraine’s Future

Published: October 8, 2026

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukrainians faced a challenge to their very survival as a country and a nation.

People responded by stepping up. Across Ukraine, thousands of volunteers began organizing food deliveries, supporting displaced families, helping communities under attack, and raising money for people in need. Some volunteer initiatives eventually closed. Others grew into formal organizations that continue to serve their communities today.

As this new civil society grew, so did a new need: people who had learned to respond to an emergency now needed the knowledge to build organizations that could last.

Leaders of Ukrainian nonprofits were looking for practical skills in organizational development, strategic planning, management, and financial sustainability. They had learned by doing. Now they needed an opportunity to turn that experience into lasting expertise.

Until recently, Ukraine had no formal graduate program specifically designed around the realities of nonprofit work. When Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) launched its master’s program in Nonprofit Management, Razom created a scholarship program for civil society professionals.

The goal is simple: help the people serving Ukrainian communities build organizations strong enough to keep going.

Razom scholarships cover 75% of tuition for the full two-year program. Between 2024 and 2026, Razom supported seven civil society professionals.

Here are three of their stories — and what happens when people who are already creating change gain the knowledge to make that change last.

Anna Andruseiko: Seeing the Whole Picture

Anna Andruseiko came to the program with years of experience as a program manager at a donor foundation and a civic association. She already knew how to work with finances, law, management, and strategic planning.

But these skills existed in separate pieces.

Her studies at UCU helped her see how they fit together — and how people, processes, finances, and strategy all shape the strength of an organization.

She is already putting this perspective to work.

At the RUTA Association, Anna is helping develop an endowment and build a community around the organization. The goal is long-term financial independence, so the organization can continue its work without relying entirely on outside support.

At ZMIN Foundation, she looks beyond what an organization does. She asks what its work actually changes — and whether those results match its mission.

This is the theory of change in practice. And it gives Anna a stronger way to evaluate partnerships and make decisions.

For Anna, the program changed the way she sees her work. She learned to look at an organization as a whole and think more strategically.

She also found something just as valuable: a community of people with different experiences who are learning from one another and finding ways to work together.

Sofia Shcherbachuk: Turning Experience Into Stronger Action

For seven years, Sofia Shcherbachuk worked in volunteer, humanitarian, and civil society initiatives — from local projects to programs operating across Ukraine.

She learned how to work with communities, build trust, and turn ideas into projects that improve people’s lives.

But eventually, experience alone was no longer enough.

Sofia wanted to understand how to manage organizations more effectively, plan for the future, and measure whether their work was actually making a difference.

She began applying what she learned almost immediately.

Since March 2026, Sofia has led the culture program at SpivDiia Charitable Foundation. Before the program, her focus was mainly on delivering projects well. Now she also asks bigger questions: Why are we doing this? Who will it help? What will remain after the project ends?

That shift has already led her to develop new initiatives for her team and prepare grant proposals to grow the program.

For Sofia, the scholarship meant she did not have to put her professional growth on hold.

Most importantly, she saw that knowledge does not have to stay in a classroom. It can become a better decision the next day — and a stronger organization over time.

Ruslana Romanchuk: The Confidence to Lead Change

Ruslana Romanchuk first heard about the program in 2021 at the Civil Society Development Forum. She immediately saw it as the next step in her professional growth.

Many people she knew had already graduated from the program. They recommended it not only for the knowledge, but for the community of people working to strengthen Ukraine.

Ruslana believed in lifelong learning. She wanted to combine what she had learned through years of practical experience with a deeper understanding of how nonprofit organizations can grow and remain strong.

The impact was immediate.

At the NGO Resource Center for NGOs, Ruslana reviewed procurement policies, helped improve financial management, changed the organization’s approach to reporting, and facilitated a strategic planning session for a volunteer group.

During her studies, she also proposed creating a membership system for people who had worked with the organization for more than a year. The organization’s leadership adopted the new policy.

These may sound like internal changes. But they strengthen the organization’s ability to serve people — including through individual psychological consultations and support groups for adults and children from communities across Ukraine.

For Ruslana, the program gave her more than new tools. It gave her the confidence to use them.

And the scholarship made that possible. Without financial support, she would not have been able to afford tuition, accommodation, food, and travel.

The people she met through the program, she says, were one of the most valuable parts of the experience. They inspired her to keep learning, changing, and growing.

Stronger Leaders. Stronger Organizations. Stronger Communities.

In 2025, the number of humanitarian organizations directly providing assistance in Ukraine fell by 20%. Even organizations with years of experience are struggling to maintain their work.

That is why investing in people matters.

When a civil society leader gains new knowledge, it does not stay with that one person. It returns to their organization as better decisions, stronger teams, clearer processes, and more sustainable work.

And over time, stronger organizations mean stronger communities.

The goal is not for Ukrainian nonprofits to depend on outside support forever. It is to help them build the knowledge, leadership, and systems they need to stand on their own.

When you support Razom, you are investing in the people who are building that future — one organization, one community, and one decision at a time.

“We’re Always With Them Now”: How a Human Rights Advocate Helps Veterans Return to Civilian Life Through Theater

Published: October 8, 2026

Coming home from war does not end on the day a person leaves the military. Veterans need to find their place among civilians again, rebuild relationships, and feel that their experience matters. For Alina, that place was a community of writers. Now she is creating the same kind of space for other veterans.

Alina Sarnatska is a veteran, human rights advocate, radio host, and writer. In Lviv, she created the Veterans’ Theater, a space where veterans can develop their skills as playwrights. The project is part of the Veterans Program of INDEX, the Institute for War Documentation and Intellectual Cooperation with the Outside World, with support from Razom.

Over two and a half months, nine veterans and two veterans’ wives learned to write plays about their experiences of war, returning to civilian life, and how these experiences changed them.

“Veterans can come to the theater and see themselves represented on stage. It matters to see that people in this place care about veterans,” Alina says.

We spoke with Alina about her journey to theater and how playwriting can bring veterans together while helping the world understand what Ukrainians are experiencing during the war.

Writing to Find Yourself Again

“In the army, you get the full picture of what will happen when you die. How quickly people will forget about you. It is really hard to process,” Alina Sarnatska says.

“At some point, I realized that if I were killed, if the world completely erased all traces of me, I would regret not spending enough time with the people I loved and not writing enough.”

After three years of military service, Alina realized that she had not simply put her life on hold. Some of her skills were beginning to fade.

“After the army, I realized that I could no longer put my thoughts together. I was no longer as bright or confident as I had been. I was very sad. I realized that if I did not find a community, I would stop writing. I did not have enough courage. At some point, my friends started sending me links to a playwriting school run by playwright Maksym Kurochkin’s Veterans’ Theater. I applied. And I found a mentor in him. That helped me keep going — I finally had someone I could rely on.”

That is how a new Ukrainian playwright emerged. Her plays are now read and staged not only in Ukraine but abroad as well. For example, her play Balance was presented as part of Razom’s Ukrainian Drama Showcase in New York.

The theater gave Alina more than a new profession and a community. It also allowed her to continue doing what she had done before: representing people’s needs and making their experiences visible to society.

After finding this new source of support, Alina decided not to stop at writing plays. She wanted to teach other veterans how to write and create theater — and to help new voices emerge.

Writing for Equal Rights

We are speaking with Alina over video when explosions begin outside my window in Kyiv. I have to pause the conversation and move into the closet.

“Why pay rent for the whole apartment when we’re basically living in the corridor?” I joke.

“Why pay rent at all when you can just live in the subway?” Alina jokes back.

Alina trained as a psychologist and studied social work in graduate school. She conducted research and worked as a manager at a nonprofit organization. For many years, she focused on women’s rights, including preventing gender-based violence. She worked with UN Women, Columbia University, and other international organizations.

“We wanted to make changes in the country,” Alina says.

Alongside her work in civil society, Alina was involved in a right-liberal movement, where she first met veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war. The community had a significant influence on her, she says. She remained friends with many of them even after their work together ended.

“We used to argue a lot about women’s rights, Pride, and the LGBTQ+ community. When the full-scale invasion began, I saw all these people join the military — except mothers with children. And I think they gave me an incredible example.”

“The Ukrainian army is made up of civilians who went to defend their country out of love,” Alina says. She came to the military from the civil society sector.

Writing to Support Her Battalion

Alina’s Facebook posts from before and during the COVID-19 pandemic are about podcast recordings, work, burnout, and learning English. There are also fox toys, fox decorations, and fox emojis.

In March 2022, “Fox” became her military call sign. The civil society activist became a combat medic with a fire support company of the 207th Battalion of the 241st Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the time, women in Ukraine were not subject to mandatory mobilization, and Alina’s employer had offered her the opportunity to leave the country.

As of early 2026, more than 75,000 women serve in Ukraine’s Armed Forces.

“I am an adult woman without children. I understood that I had to join the military and defend my city and my people. When people ask why I joined the military… I think the more logical question is why someone did not.”

In the spring of 2022, recruitment centers were filled with volunteers: teachers, IT professionals, managers, and other civilians who had never served in the military. Like Alina, they chose to put their lives on hold for their country.

“During the first few weeks, I cried at night. Nothing made sense. Everything was frightening and strange. I was afraid I would not be able to handle the responsibility. I was told that I was now responsible for the health of hundreds of soldiers. I had no medical training, and we had not had a single day of training. Someone showed me where the safety on the rifle was. I learned tactical medicine from materials I found online… Bit by bit, it became easier.”

There were no weekdays in the army, and the only color left in her wardrobe was camouflage green. Alina would track incoming strikes near the Kyiv home where her family stayed and would celebrate a second birthday after surviving an artillery attack near Irpin (a town near Kyiv).

“To serve in the military, you have to find balance. In my first year of service, I bought cat ears for my helmet and a sleeping bag liner with Pokémon on it. In my second year, I stopped being embarrassed about sleeping with a stuffed animal. My mother sent me a badger from home. His name was Filimon. He got a little dirty, so whenever I had the chance, I washed him and dried him in the sun,” Alina writes in her play Balance.

During her service, she began writing again. This time, she wrote short posts on social media to raise money for her battalion.

“We needed everything: vehicles, drones, radios… Everything. I became pretty good at writing dialogue because dialogue was what brought in the most donors and helped raise donations,” Alina recalls.

Alina took part in combat operations in Donetsk region. She received the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s “For Saving Lives” badge and the President of Ukraine’s “For the Defense of Ukraine” award.

At the beginning of her service, Alina wanted to sleep in a bed, go to the movies, to kiss the person she loves, roast a chicken in the oven, and write well. She dreamed of becoming a writer.

Writing to Bring Veterans Together

“I believe that people should be part of a community and that it is important to serve your community. I want to be useful to veterans. For me, it is almost a question of faith,” Alina says. She has attended church for more than 20 years.

Alina says it would be wrong to describe the program as art therapy. Not every creative process is healing. Even watching performances of her own plays can leave her feeling unwell for several days.

For her, the most valuable part is being among people with similar experiences — and having the chance to learn a new profession.

“We had one participant in Lviv from Superhumans (Rehabilitation Center for Military), a very young man who had only recently lost his leg. I am not sure the program was really about writing for him, but he became part of the community. He came to every class and wrote a play. A year later, he realized that he wanted to keep writing. It is a long-term process. For us, this is not just a course — we’re always with them now.”

After the program ends, all participants remain in a group chat where they share opportunities and stay in touch.

Veterans who are still receiving treatment in hospitals can join the classes. Even active-duty service members at the front have participated.

Writing to Bring the Country Together

“I understand that what happens to veterans will affect many generations. It will matter how abandoned and unnecessary they feel,” Alina concludes.

Military service can fundamentally change the way people see life and everyday things. For service members, the primary task is to survive. In Ukraine, projects focused on veterans’ integration and support have existed since 2014.

The final stage of Alina’s program is a public reading of the new plays, performed by professional actors.

“It has a huge impact on the participants. They see that these stories matter to other people. And it affects everyone — both the local community that comes to the performance and the veterans who wrote the plays.”

A play can become a way for people with very different experiences to understand one another — and to find a way to live and create together.

Theater cannot erase the experience of war. But it can give veterans a place where people listen to them. And it can give society an opportunity to hear their stories.

Alina Sarnatska’s story is not only about finding yourself after war. It is also about how the support you receive from others can become an opportunity to support someone else. Once, a community helped Alina believe in her own voice. Today, she helps other veterans find theirs — and make themselves heard far beyond the theater stage.

Because returning from war is not only a journey a veteran has to make. It is also about whether society is ready to create a space where their experience, talent, and future matter.

And that is a space we need to build together.

That is why supporting these communities is an investment not only in veterans. It is an investment in the Ukraine that will emerge after the war.

Investing in the Future: How Razom Supports Ukrainian Educators

Published: September 1, 2026

Supporting Ukrainian teachers means investing in the young people who will shape Ukraine’s future.Even amid the full-scale war, Ukrainian educators continue to teach, grow professionally, and adapt the learning process to rapidly changing realities. They are helping raise a generation capable of thinking critically, taking responsibility, and finding solutions to the most complex challenges. Today, teachers are laying the foundation for a progressive, democratic, and resilient Ukraine.Razom supports Ukrainian educators through local and international initiatives that provide access to modern teaching methods, innovative technologies, professional networks, and hands-on experience. Here are three projects helping teachers strengthen their schools and communities.

Teachers of the Future Festival: A Space for New Ideas

For the second consecutive year, Razom has proudly supported Teachers of the Future, one of Europe’s largest educational events, organized by the Ukrainian NGO Educational Initiative of the Free and Caring.

The sixth annual Teachers of the Future Festival took place in Lviv in the summer of 2026. It brought together more than 2,000 educators from across Ukraine, along with international experts and civil society leaders.

Over two intensive days, participants exchanged knowledge, expanded their professional networks, and attended more than 200 workshops and practical sessions.

This year, Razom supported the Educational Innovation Hangar, a dedicated space where more than 20 leading Ukrainian STEM companies and EdTech platforms showcased their latest educational solutions.

Participants included the Ranok and Litera LTD publishing houses; EdPro and ELIZ LABS, which develop interactive displays, laboratory equipment, and educational software; the innovative AR Book platform; Ukraine’s state educational app Mriia; and many others.

For teachers, this was an opportunity not only to explore emerging technologies but also to speak directly with developers about how these tools can be incorporated into everyday teaching and make learning more accessible, practical, and engaging for students.

STEM Without Borders: From Scotland to Frontline Communities

High-quality STEM education prepares the engineers, scientists, and innovators who will help rebuild Ukraine’s energy sector, healthcare system, defense capabilities, and economy.

In the spring, Razom supported five Ukrainian teachers from frontline regions in taking part in the STEM Without Borders professional development program. The program was hosted by The King’s Foundation in Scotland in partnership with Osvitoria.

Over three days, participants explored project-based learning and advanced scientific teaching methods. They also examined how lessons drawn from nature can be connected to sustainable energy solutions and future careers in STEM.

Importantly, the program’s impact extends far beyond its five participants. After returning home, the teachers began sharing their knowledge with colleagues and introducing new approaches in their classrooms.

In this way, modern educational practices become accessible to thousands of Ukrainian children, including those living in communities that experience the consequences of war every day.

Civic Boost: Empowering Young People and Communities

Another area of support focuses on strengthening school autonomy and encouraging young people to participate in community decision-making.

Through Civic Boost, a delegation of educators from frontline communities in the Kharkiv region visited Lviv for a three-day professional exchange dedicated to these areas.

Lviv was chosen for a reason. The city’s schools enjoy a significant degree of autonomy: local lyceums manage their own budgets and establish distinctive educational hubs. During the exchange, participants explored this experience and gained practical tools for strengthening student self-government and launching educational and cultural initiatives in their home communities.

Programs like this help transform schools into spaces where young people not only acquire knowledge but also learn to influence decisions, work together, and take responsibility for the future of their communities.

Support with a Lasting Impact

Every educational program represents far more than a single training session, trip, or event. Teachers return to their schools with new knowledge, share it with their colleagues, and create new opportunities for hundreds—and ultimately thousands—of children.

Despite the war, Ukrainian educators continue to teach, innovate, and inspire their students. Razom remains committed to standing with them, because supporting teachers today means investing in the generation that will build a free, democratic, and resilient Ukraine tomorrow.

Youth Transforming Communities: How Youth Initiative Banks Are Helping Build the Future During Wartime

Published: June 26, 2026

As part of the Children & the Future Under Fire month, Razom is highlighting initiatives that support children, teenagers, and young people in Ukraine — not only as those in need of protection, but as active participants in the recovery and development of their communities.

One such initiative focuses on empowering active youth in 25 communities across 14 regions of Ukraine, including communities that have been deeply affected by the war. The project is implemented by the National Network for Local Philanthropy Development “Philanthropists” with the support of Razom and Fondation de France.

At the heart of the project is the International Youth Banks model. For more than two decades, this approach has been used in countries around the world, giving young people the opportunity not only to learn, but also to make decisions, mobilize resources, and support change in their own communities.

Similar youth philanthropy models also exist in the United States. For example, Northfield YouthBank and youth-led grantmaking programs at community foundations give young people the opportunity not only to propose ideas, but also to make decisions about funding projects in their communities.

What Is Youth Initiative Bank?

Youth Initiative Bank is an international model that has been implemented for more than 20 years in 37 countries with the support of Youth Bank International. In Ukraine, the model is implemented by the National Network for Local Philanthropy Development with financial support from Razom for Ukraine and Fondation de France.

A Youth Initiative Bank is a team of young people who study the needs of their community, mobilize local resources, organize grant competitions, and support the implementation of youth-led projects.

In other words, young people are not only applying for support for their own ideas. They are learning how to become grantmakers themselves: analyzing needs, defining priorities, developing selection criteria, making funding decisions, and supporting initiatives through implementation.

The model is built on the principle of “learning by doing.” Young people go through the full cycle of managing local change — from assessing community needs to fundraising, supporting projects, monitoring results, and reporting back to the community.

How It Works

Each year, every Youth Initiative Bank team goes through a full cycle of work.

First, a team of active young people is formed. They receive basic training and divide responsibilities among themselves. Then, the participants study the needs of their community by conducting surveys, focus groups, and consultations with residents to understand which challenges are most urgent.

Based on this research, the young people define priorities — the themes and areas that need support in their community. These may include social, educational, cultural, volunteer, or other initiatives that respond to real local needs.

The next stage is local fundraising. Teams organize charity events, fairs, campaigns, and community activities, raising funds from local residents, businesses, and partners. This is an essential part of the model, because it helps young people not only speak about change, but also bring their community together around it.

After that, the Youth Initiative Bank announces an open grant competition for youth initiatives, develops selection criteria, and makes decisions about which projects to support. The selected teams implement their ideas with mentoring support from the Youth Initiative Bank. At the end of the cycle, they analyze the results, assess the impact, and report back to the community.

Why Co-Funding Matters

One of the key features of this model is co-funding.

Teams do not simply receive support from outside. They raise resources within their own communities: they speak with residents, look for partners, work with local businesses, and organize charitable events. Based on the results of the grant competition, the Youth Initiative Bank then provides additional funding for youth-led projects.

This means that the more actively a team mobilizes local resources and community support, the more opportunities it has to bring its ideas to life.

This approach builds more than individual projects. It builds trust within the community. Young people see that their voices matter. Local residents see that young people are capable of taking responsibility. And the community receives initiatives that are not imposed from above, but born from its real needs.

What Young People Gain

Participation in a Youth Initiative Bank gives young people practical experience that is difficult to gain through formal education alone. They learn how to work in a team, manage projects, analyze information, write grant applications, communicate ideas, lead fundraising efforts, and distribute resources responsibly.

But just as importantly, young people gain the experience of being trusted. They are not simply told that they matter to the future of their community. They are given real tools of influence: the ability to research, decide, support, and take responsibility for results.

For communities — especially those affected by war — this is particularly important. Amid loss, displacement, and constant uncertainty, it is essential not to lose active young people, but to create reasons for them to stay engaged, grow, and see their place in Ukraine’s future.

Where Young People Are Given a Chance

Behind every Youth Initiative Bank, there is more than a grant competition or a training program. There are people who, at some point, heard a simple but powerful phrase: “You can do this.”

In the Kobleve community in Mykolaiv region, this journey did not begin with major victories. Youth Initiative Bank coordinator Oksana Dukhan recalls returning from training two years ago with “a whole carriage of doubts.” She was not local, she knew few people, and the community itself consisted of 11 villages scattered across an area with limited transport connections. Because of the war, some young people had left, and opportunities had become fewer. Even gathering the first team of three people was a challenge.

The first fundraising attempt did not work either. The team opened a charitable donation jar, made plans, and waited. But no one donated, because no one knew who they were. So they changed their approach: they went to people in person. They asked the community to believe not just in projects, but in youth-led ideas. Gradually, the community began to respond with trust.

One of the first projects was the restoration of a volleyball court in the village of Luhove. Teenagers planned the budget themselves, purchased materials, painted, and organized the space. For them, it was more than just a sports ground. It was their first experience of realizing that they can change the place where they live.

Criticism followed. Some said it could have been done better, that the net was not right, that teenagers should not be trusted with money. But at that moment, the real meaning of the project became clear. The point was not that everything had been done perfectly. The point was that young people had, for the first time, gone through the full path from idea to result on their own.

A year later, young people in the same village of Luhove implemented another project — creating a modern cinema space for local residents.

Today, the Kobleve Youth Initiative Bank team includes 12 active teenagers. Over two years, they have implemented 15 youth projects in eight villages, raised around UAH 250,000 for youth initiatives, and helped more than 45 teenagers gain their first real experience in project management, fundraising, and civic engagement.

Another story comes from Cherkasy. Tetiana Honcharova joined the Youth Initiative Bank as a young professional looking for a space where she could be useful. Her first project, “ArtInsight,” combined psychological support with creative practices. In just one month, it reached more than 150 people.

For Tetiana, this was more than a grant competition victory. It was the moment she felt that her ideas had value — and that the desire to help could become real change. Later, she went on to lead the Youth Initiative Bank herself. Today, she supports other young people, helping them overcome fear, speak up, act, and try.

This is the power of Youth Initiative Banks. They do not simply fund youth ideas. They create the moment when a teenager in their community feels for the first time: I am trusted. My voice matters. My idea can become something real.

During wartime, that carries special weight. Because Ukraine’s future is not an abstract date after victory. It is already being shaped through small decisions: to gather a team, to go out and speak to people, to ask for support, to restore a playground, to hold a meeting, to support someone else’s idea, to believe in yourself.

Big changes can truly begin with a small local initiative — especially when young people are given a chance at the right time.

A Future Built Locally

The war has forced many young people to grow up faster. But even under these circumstances, they are not only adapting — they are acting.

Through Youth Initiative Banks, young people in Ukrainian communities launch local projects, support their peers, engage residents, work with partners, and learn to make decisions that affect the lives of those around them.

For Razom, supporting such initiatives is part of a broader effort to strengthen the resilience of Ukrainian communities. During wartime, the future is not an abstract idea. It is formed every day — in schools, youth spaces, volunteer teams, local initiatives, and communities where young people are given the chance to act.

When young people have the tools, trust, and support they need, they do not simply imagine the future. They begin to build it.

Where Displacement Turns Into Community

Published: April 27, 2026

How women from Razom grantee “We Are Brothers, We Are Ukrainians” support communities across Kharkiv region

Twenty-six kilometers from Kharkiv, in the town of Liubotyn, a dormitory has become a temporary home for dozens of people who lost their homes during the war. Here, life is gradually rebuilding after shelling, shaped by international support, local volunteer efforts, and the resilience of residents.

Restoration of the dormitory was supported by Razom, which funded the installation of a new entranceway and roof repairs. During our visit, we spoke with Kateryna Posokhova, Executive Director of the foundation “We Are Brothers, We Are Ukrainians,” which has been working across the Kharkiv region for years.

The foundation’s team works daily with dormitory residents and other displaced people in the region.

When Evacuation Reshapes Communities

The foundation expanded its work during mass evacuations from frontline areas of the Kharkiv region, particularly from Vovchansk district and communities near Lyptsi.

People moved in large numbers into dormitories and collective centers, which became emergency housing for internally displaced people.

“We started working as soon as large-scale evacuations began. Children were arriving in dormitories and collective centers, and we began working with them, as well as with adults,” Posokhova says.

Foundation psychologists organized group sessions for children and provided individual support for adults coping with displacement, loss, and the ongoing stress of war.

How Repairs Begin

While working in dormitories, the team collected requests from residents about their most urgent needs.

At first, those needs were basic.

“People initially asked for showers and toilets. Then they asked about repairing the basement, the entranceway, and eventually the roof,” Posokhova recalls.

Over time, these requests developed into larger restoration projects.

Together with partners, including international organizations, the foundation supported multiple repairs. In one case, workers removed more than five tons of debris from a roof before repairs could begin.

“We cleared the roof, insulated it, repaired the structure, and installed pumping equipment for the boiler system,” she explains.

Psychosocial Support

Psychosocial support is a core part of the foundation’s work.

The team works with children, teenagers, parents, and older residents.

In Liubotyn, activities for children are held inside a shelter.

“It is a reinforced shelter that allows us to safely conduct educational activities with children and teenagers,” Posokhova says.

The foundation also works with local social care centers that support elderly residents. These meetings create space for connection and routine.

“Our older residents sew, paint, and even organized what they call a ‘work brigade.’ They repainted benches near the playground together,” she says.

Some gatherings include cooking or singing. These simple activities help restore a sense of normal life.

Why Support Matters

According to Posokhova, supporting collective centers would not be possible without international partners and donors.

“For places like these, support from foundations and international organizations makes a significant difference,” she says.

Many residents have lost everything. Their homes are destroyed or located in occupied territories.

“People were left without housing. Every bit of support becomes a chance to start again.”

This is why cooperation between local initiatives and international partners is essential.

“When donors support repairs, psychological programs, or financial assistance, people feel that they are not alone,” Posokhova says.

When People Choose to Stay

Work in collective centers often reveals how meaningful even temporary housing becomes.

Many residents are already displaced. In these dormitories, they began rebuilding their lives, forming new connections and support systems.

One dormitory in Kharkiv was recently damaged by a nearby missile strike.

“Windows were blown out, doors damaged, and walls cracked. Residents were temporarily relocated,” Posokhova says.

But many returned.

“The windows were boarded up, and it was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit inside. They were offered safer accommodation during repairs, but they chose to stay.”

For them, it is no longer just a dormitory. It is a community.

“They found neighbors, support, and a sense of stability here. That is why they stay together,” she says.

A Foundation Led by Women

The foundation’s name emphasizes unity. In practice, most of the team are women.

“Our foundation is called ‘We Are Brothers, We Are Ukrainians,’ but about 95 percent of our team are women,” Posokhova says.

“Our partners often say ‘brothers.’ But when they meet the team, they see it is all sisters.”

The team coordinates humanitarian programs, travels to communities, and works directly with residents. Sometimes in basements. Sometimes in frontline villages.

Always alongside people rebuilding their lives.

“We do everything we can to help people return to some form of normal life,” Posokhova says.

Looking at the dormitory in Liubotyn, where residents are gradually rebuilding, it is clear that this work matters.

The Missing Puzzle Piece: Svitlana Blinova and the Power of Local Leadership

Published: February 20, 2026

It feels almost surreal to sit across from Svitlana Blinova in the basement of Lviv City Hall. Down here, in a concrete shelter, we are waiting out news of a possible missile strike. It is the safest place to conduct an interview today. Svitlana smiles softly as she speaks – composed, thoughtful, almost delicate in appearance. And yet, as she begins to tell her story, it becomes clear that she is exactly the kind of leader Ukraine has produced in wartime: steady, determined, and quietly transformative.

Razom first met Svitlana not at a conference or on a panel – but through partnership. Through the inaugural Impact UA internship program, developed by Razom and Brave Generation, Svitlana’s organization Cities4Cities hosted Aidan Stretch, a recent Yale graduate focused on history and journalism. From the start, Svitlana stood out.

She did not simply assign tasks. She took Aidan under her wing. She brought him into the real work of building international municipal partnerships. And later she went further, bringing him to her grandparents’ village outside Lviv so he could experience rural Ukrainian life firsthand. Her grandmother cooked potatoes grown on their own land. Her grandfather, who does not speak English, offered a simple “hello.” It was not staged hospitality. It was trust.

That experience shaped Aidan’s reporting and the work he now continues as a freelance journalist based in Kyiv, contributing to outlets such as The Kyiv Independent and CBS. Through his writing, American audiences encounter Ukrainian municipalities not as abstractions, but as communities rebuilding, partnering, and leading.

Svitlana’s commitment impressed us. And we kept watching her work. Born in 1991 – the year Ukraine regained independence – Svitlana’s life has unfolded alongside the country’s own search for voice and agency. She studied journalism and law, but her real education began during a summer internship at Lviv City Council. Officially, it was four hours a day. In practice, she stayed fourteen.

Before the full-scale invasion, she worked on municipal development strategies. On February 24, 2022, she packed a shelter bag for her family and went straight to City Hall asking one thing: How can I help? Within days, she helped coordinate international journalists. Soon after, she redirected humanitarian aid from Lviv to harder-hit communities. From that emergency response grew something more lasting.

Together with the City of Lviv, SALAR International (part of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), and the German city of Sindelfingen, Svitlana helped launch Cities4Cities, which is now a robust platform connecting Ukrainian municipalities with European and American partners. Today, the network spans nearly 100 municipalities across seven EU countries and the United States. For Svitlana, sister-city agreements are not paperwork. They are relationships. “International cooperation is not magic,” she says. “It’s soft skills.”

Through the Cities4Cities Academy, her six-person team trains municipalities across Ukraine to identify their priorities, seek aligned partners, and build sustainable, win-win cooperation. There are over 1,400 municipalities in Ukraine. The scale of the task is immense.

And then came a moment that could change everything. Last year, Svitlana received an invitation to speak at the International City/County Managers Association conference in Florida, one of the most influential gatherings of municipal leaders in the United States. The registration fee was waived. She secured a visa just two days before the event. But she did not have the money for a last-minute plane ticket – nearly $1,000. For many civic leaders in Ukraine, that is where opportunities end. There is no simple travel grant to apply for on short notice. No rapid-response fund for moments like this. Conferences move on. Connections are lost.

Because we had already worked with Svitlana through Impact UA – because we had seen her leadership up close – Razom stepped in through our Razom Sylnishi program, which strengthens Ukrainian civil society leaders. Within days, the ticket was secured. “That ticket was the missing puzzle piece,” Svitlana says.

The impact was immediate. Standing before American city managers – in a country she had never spoken publicly in, in a language she only began studying after the invasion – Svitlana presented the case for partnering with Ukrainian municipalities. When she finished, there was a line of leaders waiting to speak with her. Today, she carries a stack of business cards from U.S. municipal officials eager to build sister-city partnerships. Those conversations are already translating into new connections – opening doors for Ukrainian communities seeking expertise, collaboration, and long-term integration with American counterparts. A $1,000 plane ticket did not just fund travel. It unlocked access. It accelerated U.S. engagement. It shifted the trajectory of Cities4Cities’ expansion into America. This is what catalytic support looks like. And Svitlana’s leadership does not stop there.

After burning out in a previous political communications role, she once spent a summer living in a tent in her grandparents’ village. Seeing its decline, she helped mobilize residents to rebuild it through securing grants, improving roads, creating a youth coworking and cultural space, and launching a regional tourism brand marking forest routes across multiple municipalities.

She and her husband built a small guesthouse in the village. When the war began, he became a defender. She finished the house herself. Today, it ranks in the top 10% of Airbnb listings worldwide. She personally communicates with guests and even offers “voluntourism” stays in exchange for beautifying the community. “This house is from my heart” – she says.

At the start of the invasion, Svitlana briefly relocated to Poland – only to return. “I didn’t feel that I was with my people,” she says. She later chose to have a second child during wartime. “We will rebuild Ukraine also with kids.”

In the quiet of the shelter beneath Lviv City Hall, it becomes clear that leadership like Svitlana’s does not seek attention. It builds systems. It strengthens communities. It studies English at night so Ukraine can speak to the world.

Razom did not create Svitlana Blinova. Ukraine did. But sometimes, what makes the difference between a missed opportunity and a transformative one is the ability to act quickly – to remove one obstacle at exactly the right time.

One plane ticket. One missing puzzle piece. And the ripple effect continues.

And when leaders like Svitlana are met with trust, flexibility, and timely support, their impact multiplies far beyond a single conference, a single partnership, or a single moment. It ripples outward – connecting cities, strengthening communities, and weaving Ukraine more tightly into a global network of solidarity that will help shape its recovery for years to come.

If you believe in leaders like Svitlana – pragmatic, courageous, and deeply rooted in their communities – we invite you to stand with them. Your support allows Razom to continue providing the flexible, rapid-response backing that turns pivotal moments into lasting impact for Ukraine.

A Letter from our CEO

Published: January 21, 2026

A Letter from Our CEO

As this new year begins, Ukraine is facing its most severe winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.

In recent days, temperatures in Kyiv have fallen to –20°C (-4°F) as Ukraine’s electrical grid continues to be systematically degraded by years of Russian missile and drone attacks. Millions of Ukrainians in cities across the country are living through freezing temperatures with unstable access to heat, electricity, and water. The result is a humanitarian crisis unlike any Ukraine has faced during the war so far.

Parents plan their days around scheduled power outages, with utility companies publishing blackout times by neighborhood – often as long as 16 consecutive hours. Hospitals ration whatever power the city can spare. Heated tents are appearing in courtyards between apartment buildings scarred by drone fragments. First responders answer calls knowing that Russian “double-tap” strikes increasingly target those who arrive to help.

This is not an emergency that passes in a single news cycle. It is the daily reality of a nation still under full-scale assault after nearly four years.

Much of this no longer makes the front page.

What is less visible – but no less real – is the cumulative effect of these conditions. When electricity fails, hospitals strain. When heat is unreliable, chronic illness becomes acute. When first responders are killed, entire communities lose lifelines. And when political wavering pressures Ukraine to reach premature compromises with its aggressor, it is Ukrainian civilians – and future generations – who absorb the cost. This winter is forcing millions of Ukrainians back into survival mode, while testing whether the United States and its allies will substantiate their commitments.

This is the context in which Razom enters 2026.

Our work has never been about reacting to headlines alone. It is about ensuring that Ukrainians have the support, systems, and global partnerships needed not just to endure war—but to emerge from it with agency, dignity, and strength. This year, Razom will continue investing across five core areas: supporting first responders and medics on the front lines; strengthening Ukraine’s healthcare system; backing grassroots organizations serving the most vulnerable; advancing strong, principled Ukraine policy in Washington, D.C.; and connecting Ukrainian voices, culture, and innovation to the global mainstream.

Taken together, these efforts serve a single purpose: a secure, livable, and connected Ukraine capable of surviving this war, leading its own recovery, and standing as a model of democratic resilience and security for the world.

Global support for Ukraine cannot depend solely on moments of crisis. It must be built and sustained through strategy, partnership, and long-term commitment. That is the work ahead of us. And it is only possible because of you.

Thank you for standing with Ukraine, especially when the story feels harder to follow, and the outcome less certain. Your continued engagement matters more than ever.

With gratitude and resolve,

Dora Chomiak
Chief Executive Officer
Razom for Ukraine

What Razom Is Doing Right Now

That commitment is not theoretical. It is operational. Since November 2025 alone, Razom has delivered 118 generators and 175 mobile charging stations to frontline medics, emergency crews, and community organizations – keeping critical services running during prolonged blackouts. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 200 generators have been placed in community hubs serving displaced families, older adults, and people with disabilities.

In Kryvyi Rih, where repeated missile and drone attacks force emergency responders to work under constant threat, Razom is supporting the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with mobile heated emergency tents and infrastructure. These allow responders to establish temporary rescue points during attacks – safely, visibly, and in freezing conditions.

In Poltava, local partners report having electricity for only one to two hours per day. A youth organization supported by Razom now relies on charging stations to stay operational at all – briefly entering cold buildings once or twice a week just to charge equipment, submit reports, and coordinate volunteer work.

At a social-cultural center supported by Razom, a single generator now powers heating pumps, lights, and programming for children, women, and older adults. “If not for your support, most of these activities would have been postponed until spring or not happened at all,” the team wrote.

For families, the impact is even more direct.

At a family-type children’s home caring for 13 children, including displaced children and children with disabilities, the generator Razom provided runs up to 12 hours a day, powering heating, water pumps, lights, and laptops. “If not for you, it would have been much harder to survive last winter,” the mother wrote. “About this one – there would be no way at all.”

At a residential care facility housing 50 elderly and chronically ill residents, a charging station provided by Razom now keeps the heating system running during blackouts. “This is not just technical support,” the director wrote. “It is protection of health and life.”

Why Support Razom – Especially Now

Razom’s strength is not scale alone. It is trust, proximity, and precision. Razom works directly with local partners who know where systems are breaking – and where relatively small interventions can prevent catastrophe. We don’t duplicate services. We fill gaps others can’t reach, often under conditions where speed, flexibility, and local relationships make the difference.

As Dora writes, Razom’s work is about more than endurance. It is about ensuring Ukrainians retain agency, dignity, and the ability to hold the line – even in the dark. This winter is testing more than infrastructure. It is testing whether support for Ukraine holds when the crisis becomes chronic instead of dramatic.

Let’s be clear: Ukraine is being pushed into the cold on purpose. People are surviving because generators are running, heated shelters are standing, first responders are equipped, and communities are refusing to collapse. Razom is there – in the dark, in the cold, in action.

But this work does not continue without you. If you are waiting for the right moment to help, this is it.

Donate now. Your support funds life-saving winter response on the ground.
Share this reality. Silence benefits the aggressor.
Engage. Policy decisions made now determine survival later.

Ukraine will endure. The question is how much suffering we allow before we act.

Stand with Ukraine.
Stand with Razom.