We are continuing our series of introductions to the NGO «PVDN» team.
Presenting to you — Svitlana Dobrovolska. Her story is a journey from losing her home to doing things that change the lives of others 👉
On February 24, 2022, we woke up to explosions in our hometown — Nova Kakhovka. My husband said we had 10 minutes to pack our things. There was no realization that the war had begun. First, we went to my parents' village for a few days. We took nothing with us except children's clothes.
Nova Kakhovka was occupied on the first day of the full-scale invasion. My parents' village was also effectively under occupation, but Russian troops didn't stay there — they just moved through the streets further to their destination.
In April, Russian soldiers finally settled in the village. That's when my family and I decided we had to leave. The journey was difficult: numerous enemy checkpoints, mined bridges, bad roads. Fortunately, we managed to get out in one day. Those who have experienced this personally understand how hard it is.
Once in Ukrainian-controlled territory, my husband immediately joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend our native country. And I felt that I couldn't stand aside. I joined the volunteers of a charitable foundation that helped Kherson residents.
"Later, I began my activities as part of the NGO «PVDN». For me, this is more than an organization — it's a space where everyone contributes to a common cause. People work here who know the value of every day. They know what loss is, and what support is."
The project «Accessible Education for Children of Kherson Region» is implemented within the multi-donor project «Strengthening War-Affected Communities in Ukraine through Local Initiatives (EMPOWER)», funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) jointly with the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) GmbH.
#EMPOWER_BMZ_EU #EU_Humanitarian_Aid #Resilient_society_GIZ