Featured Posts

Dec 23, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Animal Evacuations Explained

Have you ever wondered what goes into animal evacuations? These missions are an essential but complex part of saving animals in war-torn zones. We invite you to take a peek at the everyday life of our volunteers who orchestrate these arduous extractions in Ukraine. Processing the initial request. Once a new request for an evacuation comes in, we begin with triage. It’s important to determine the urgency of the request to allocate our resources accordingly. Criticality is determined by several factors - the state of the animals involved, the likelihood of losing access to the region due to shifting front lines or weather conditions, number of animals and people involved, and more. Currently, we are focused on getting as many animals out of evacuated and newly liberated towns. Evacuated areas (like Bakhmut, North Saltivka, Toretsk, Izum, Kupyansk) are mostly abandoned. Without people, homeless animals will succumb to hunger and the cold. Newly liberated areas face the threat of shelling due to their proximity to the front lines, and often have sick and injured animals that need urgent help. Finding intake accommodations.

Dec 12, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Interview with the founder of the first volunteer mobile hospital In Ukraine

Nova Ukraine had an opportunity to sit down for a brief interview with Hennadij Druzenko, the founder of the first volunteer mobile hospital In Ukraine (FVMH). Here’s what he shared with us. How and when the first volunteer mobile hospital (FVMH), which is named after Mykola Pirohov [a prominent surgeon, anatomist, scientist, humanist, and teacher, who lived in 1810-1881], was created? FVMH was born from the spontaneous initiatives of the medical people at Maidan protest. In fact, FVMH was created in December 2013 after some students were beaten at Maidan. I appealed to the medical society with the call for action, “Now is the time when we are needed.” The first “baptism” happened on December 1, 2013, at Bankova Street, when the improvised medical brigades were rescuing the wounded protesters. Then there were underground public hospitals. In particular, one on the premises of a publishing house “Nash [Our] Format” located in Podil district in Kyiv, has helped 150 wounded Maidan participants. Later, there was medical training at the time of war in Donbas. But, in general, FVMH — under this name and with this purpose — was formed as a response to the events that occurred in Ilovaisk in the fall of 2014. The idea was to prevent the unacceptable number of deaths from non-lethal wounds that we saw in Ilovaisk.

Dec 8, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Volunteer Metalworkers Turn to Heating Homes

Civilians throughout Ukraine are dealing with shortages of heating and electricity. As winter sets in, Russia is focused on destroying the electrical grids and power plants of Ukraine’s cities to create as much hardship as possible. Heating and water systems are heavily damaged, and for those who live in or near frontline towns, essential daily routines such as cooking, cleaning, and bathing have become luxuries. Finding ways to heat living spaces is especially urgent. Bombardments have destroyed or damaged many homes, making them uninhabitable. Many people have relocated to basements or live in inadequate shelters that were never intended for residential use. They lack proper insulation and heating systems. Nova Ukraine is partnering with volunteers and metalworkers to build simple, portable, and effective wood-burning stoves for families and small groups of people to use for cooking, boiling water, and heating small living quarters. Highlights: From a former art and design space in Zaporizhia to a small manufactory in Odesa, volunteer metalworkers are producing hundreds and thousands of potbelly and rocket stoves of different sizes and capacities. Nova Ukraine volunteers deliver these stoves to areas that have been hardest hit by outages, enabling the people to receive them to provide themselves with some of the basic necessities for surviving a cold winter: hot food, sanitized water, and a warm room.

Nov 7, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Nova Ukraine cooperates with savED for reconstruction Ukrainian schools

The war against Ukraine has also become a war against education. 216 schools in Ukraine have been completely destroyed and 391 are damaged, leaving more than 177,000 children with no access to education. To counter the devastating effects of this lack of access, Nova Ukraine supports the savED charity foundation of Ukraine whose goal is to preserve access to education during the war as well as after Ukraine’s victory. savED is an international charity foundation which was launched in Chernihiv and operates across all of Ukraine. Of the 34 schools in Chernihiv, 2 have been completely destroyed and 25 were heavily damaged. Of 52 kindergartens, 37 were damaged. 29,711 school aged children and 10,263 kindergarteners live in the city, and consequently many of these children are not able to continue their education. It will cost 80 million dollars to restore the education infrastructure in Chernihiv fully. The reconstruction of damaged schools and kindergartens, and the continued efforts to keep Ukrainian children safe, are the priorities of this partnership. Nova Ukraine and savEDwill focus on repairing schools and arranging shelters in schools and kindergartens. We will also strive to restore the concept of a school as a safe space where children can come to every morning, an idea which has unfortunately been lost as a consequence of this war.

Oct 3, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Nova Ukraine Co-Chairman Honored with Ukrainian State Award

The efforts of Ukrainian diaspora in the US to support Ukraine during the Russian aggression were recognized by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who awarded an Order of Merit Third Degree to Nova Ukraine co-founder and co-chairmain Nick Bilogorskiy, along with several other leaders of American nonprofits that advocate for Ukraine and run large-scale aid projects. This award was given for “significant personal merits in strengthening interstate cooperation, support of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as a significant contribution to the popularization of the Ukrainian state in the world.” "The impact we achieved relied on the efforts of hundreds of selfless volunteers in North America and Europe, thousands of volunteers we supported in Ukraine, as well as partner organizations, to whom we extend our gratitude," said Nick Bilogorskiy. "We will continue our efforts to help the people of Ukraine survive the winter, support the reconstruction effort, and rebuild the civil society in Ukraine." Donate. Impact. Change.

Aug 20, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Delivering Medications by Supporting Local Ukrainian Pharma Darnitsa

At the beginning of the war, people bought medications in bulk, standing in lines for several hours as they feared being left without vital medications. In the fifth month of the war, the tension subsided, and, despite the instability of demand, lost infrastructure, interruptions in the supply of raw materials, and pharmacies destroyed as a result of shelling, domestic pharmaceutical companies still continue their work. Not every resident of Ukraine can obtain appropriate medications. Some cannot afford it; others no longer have working pharmacies nearby after the Russian attacks. Vulnerable populations such as the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and single mothers are the most affected by their cost and deficit. That is why Nova Ukraine, together with the Kharkiv-based medical coordinator Rodion Bronnikov, started cooperation with the leading Ukrainian pharmaceutical company Darnitsa. The company, which has been operating since 1930, has survived many major historical events, including the current war with Russia. Production hasn’t stopped for a single day. Moreover, Darnitsa added another product line for ampule medications. During the last five months, Darnitsa has released 11 new products on the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market — for blood pressure stabilization, the painkillers, an anti-radiation drug, and others — in addition to its main product lines, which are medications for heart conditions, neuralgia, and pain relief. In addition, the company was the first and the only one in Ukraine to obtain a license from Pfizer to produce antiviral drugs, and it also began the process of obtaining the technology for the production of mRNA based vaccines from the World Health Organization. Since June 2022, Nova Ukraine has purchased more than 2,000 kilograms of medications for the Kharkiv region. Our supply chain management begins with the Nova Ukraine MedHub, a regional coordinating center where all requests from Kharkiv are directed. Requests are verified by our American medical team before getting fulfilled. It takes record time for the Darnitsa team to fulfill verified orders. On average, orders are shipped by the carrier within two working days. Next, at the Kharkiv warehouse, the orders are distributed between our trusted partner volunteer organizations that collected original requests from the public. More than 18,000 medication packs have been delivered, to help stabilize blood pressure, relieve pain, and save lives. In less than two months of this collaboration, about 4,500 people have received our help.

Aug 17, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Helping Disabled Ukrainians with NGO “I Know You Can”

Since the start of the war in Ukraine vulnerable demographics within the country have been disproportionately impacted often due to their limited mobility. Elderly people, the sick, and families with small children have been especially hard hit. But there is one group who have been impacted more than others and received little attention or assistance: people with disabilities. One woman, Olena Osadcha, is working to make sure disabled Ukrainians are not forgotten. Founder of the NGO "I Know You Can" in Dnipro (central Ukraine), Olena Osadcha herself has been wheelchair bound since childhood due to the rare birth defect Osteogenesis imperfecta - brittle bone disease. Her experiences, and the constant support of those around her who always said, “I know you can do it”, inspired Olena to start an organization dedicated to advocating for those with disabilities. Due to the fear of imminent attack and their inability to flee danger quickly, the members of I Know You Can can no longer meet in public places. All of the organization’s educational programs have been cancelled, and many of their in-person services have ended due to the ever-increasing impact of the war. Despite these challenges, I Know You Can continues to provide support for disabled Ukrainians. Together, Nova Ukraine and I Know You Can are working to ensure that people with disabilities are able to receive the funding, services, medication, food, and support they need. Thanks to this partnership, disabled Ukrainians serviced by I Know You Can are receiving regular food deliveries, life sustaining medication, and the support they need to stay safe during a war the has no clear end.

Aug 11, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Animal Welfare Spending Report

Thanks to our donors, between March 16 and July 20 we have spent $262,520, and helped over 21,000 animals in Ukraine. We are grateful to every supporter that has contributed, and we couldn’t be more proud of the results. Please follow along with first-hand reports from the recipients of our aid in the newly established Nova Ukraine Animal Welfare Reports Facebook group. Here is a quick breakdown of what each category entails: So many lives are hidden behind these numbers and percentages. Incredible stories of survival, love, and perseverance. Meet a few of our lucky four-legged friends: JACK

Aug 11, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Living a Day At a Time in Mykolaiv

Mykolaiv reached a distressing achievement this week - it has become the third hardest hit city in Ukraine by Russian shelling, following Izyum and Mariupol. According to local officials, nearly 8,000 regional buildings have been damaged by artillery and missile strikes since February, and over half the city's 500,000 residents have fled. Due to the strikes, the city has been without running water since April. But as many as 250,000 residents still remain in Mykolaiv, and the city has seen an influx of people fleeing from Kherson as Ukraine battles to regain control of the occupied city and the fighting in the region intensified. Nova Ukraine continues to support Mykolaiv - by providing drinking water, equipping hospitals, supplying bomb shelters, and continuing to evacuate residents. Your donations help the residents of Mykolaiv survive the assault » A Day in the life of a Mykolaiv Resident Hanna Chmelyova is a resident of Mykolaiv who decided to remain in her city in spite of the daily shelling and air raid sirens that have been terrorizing inhabitants since the onset of the Russian invasion. Her words offer us a glimpse into daily life in a city under Russian occupation.

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Aug 8, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Staying Put in Mykolaiv: Life Under the “Russian Alarm Clock”

Hanna Chmelyova is a resident of Mykolaiv who decided to remain in her city in spite of the daily shelling and air raid sirens that have been terrorizing inhabitants since the onset of the Russian invasion. She gave us an interview to offer our readers a glimpse into daily life in a city under Russian occupation. Hanna works as a children’s librarian and a hospital clown and takes great pride in her role as plastun-senior of the "Plast" in Mykolaiv (the Ukrainian Scouting Organization). Hanna’s husband distributes humanitarian aid with the Ukrainian military elsewhere in the city. They have two sons. “Each Mykolaiv resident now has a very special ‘alarm clock,’” Chmelyova explains. “It goes off not at the time you set it to wake you up, but at the time when the Russians launch a missile.” This is the kind of humor that helps people in Ukraine survive during trying times. "These alarm clocks scared us a lot, especially in the beginning,” she says. “We don't have a basement, but there is a rule of two walls: you must place two walls between yourself and the outside. For us, that means a closet. When we hear explosions, my youngest son and I run to the closet. This is our shelter, even though we don't fit in together.”

Jul 22, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Rebuilding Kindergartens in Kharkiv

On February 24, 2022, Kharkiv, Ukraine was the first city to suffer missile attacks from Russia. The once peaceful and beautiful city now looks like a post-apocalyptic scene worthy of the movies. Many houses have no windows, their insides have been destroyed, everything is covered by soot and rubble. Stoically, the city and her people have held on under these conditions. Now the people of Kharkiv are beginning to rebuild. “We cooperate with three NGOs,” explains Yaroslava Fomina - a Nova Ukraine Project Manager. “Yedine Dzerelo, Mari, and I Am Saved. They provide assistance to communities around Kharkiv region.” Thanks to these partners and donors from around the world, Nova Ukraine has delivered 17 pallets (over 1200 sheets) of plywood to Kharkiv to be used as temporary patching to cover blown out windows and holes from missiles in the walls. "In our city, enemies are massively bombing educational institutions," says Dmytro Lozhenko, head of the organization I Am Saved. "We were able to protect and restore to working operation the nursery school and 4 more buildings that were hit by an enemy missile. We did a lot of work on clearing debris and shielding the windows.” But the work is not done. “We plan to preserve at least 50 schools and kindergartens. At this stage, we need an additional 2,000 sheets of plywood to carry out work in at least 6 institutions. We will be powerless in this great cause without your participation.”

Jul 19, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Nova Ukraine and Partners Donate Ambulances to Khmelnytskyi

Since the beginning of the war in late February, medical services across Ukraine have been disrupted. This is especially true in areas that have taken heavy shelling and bombing or cities currently under Russian occupation. To help get medical services into these hard-hit areas, a number of emergency assistance hubs have been launched, including one at Khmelnytskyi Regional Clinical Hospital. These medical hubs provide triage services outside their facilities by sending ambulances equipped with medical supplies and personnel into nearby regions lacking proper facilities. But the assistance they’re able to provide is greatly dependent on the availability of medical supplies, staff, and vehicles—something which is increasingly challenged by war-induced migration, transportation difficulties, and regular supply shortages. For this reason, emergency services and medical hubs like the one in Khmelnytskyi must rely to a greater extent on donations from outside organizations. To help address the growing needs of Khmelnytskyi Regional Clinical Hospital, Nova Ukraine and the Union of TV and Film Industry Entrepreneurs, both nongovernmental organizations, have partnered to donate new, fully modern ambulances equipped with the medical supplies needed for rapid resuscitation, emergency trauma care, and basic medical treatment. But this partnership isn’t limited to emergency vehicles. In addition to the 3 ambulances donated since the start of the war, Nova Ukraine and the Union of TV and Film Industry Entrepreneurs have also donated medical equipment, much-needed medications, and clothing for medical personnel. These supplies were all transferred to the regional hospital for use in Khmelnytskyi and the surrounding communities they serve.

Jul 18, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Breathing New Life into Maternity Care in Pavlohrad

A new generation of Ukrainians is being born in bomb shelters. Their first breaths are taken under shelling and constant danger. But even Russia’s senseless war cannot stop new, loved, celebrated little lives entering this world — Ukrainian women continue to give birth, despite the cramped and inhumane conditions. The war has crippled health care in Ukraine. Due to the influx of internally displaced refugees fleeing cities on the front lines, medical facilities even in more peaceful parts of the country are woefully undersupplied. There are widespread shortages of pretty much everything: equipment, consumables and facility necessities alike. Some maternity shelters and hospitals have been completely destroyed by shelling and are no longer operations. Other facilities, like the Pavlohrad maternity hospital, have not been updated in decades and are in desperate need of repair. Pregnant women and their newly born children are subjected to outdated equipment and accommodation—gynecological chairs from 1962; children's beds from 1985. At Nova Ukraine, we’re working to improve these conditions. Recently, donors from abroad (like you) raised the funds needed for us to purchase and provide 30 cots, 1 gynecological chair, 3 new skin temperature sensors, and an additional 500 gynecological examination kits to the hospital in Povlohrad.

Jul 13, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Serhii’s Story: Escaping Mariupol through Russia and a New Start in Iceland

On March 30 I evacuated from Mariupol to Russia. I was born back in the Soviet Union in the city of Zhdanov, which was later renamed Mariupol. In 1986, my parents got an apartment - now it's just a burnt concrete box. And I lived there my whole life. Everything around me was familiar, of course. Now, when I see photos or videos of today's Mariupol, or remember how it was in March - it feels very eerie and strange, not like the place I know. The first explosions in our courtyard occurred on March 3; by March 7, everyone had already moved to the basements. After living in the basement, you grasp every opportunity to get out. And it doesn't matter where. The feeling of desperation can't be described in words - only someone who has experienced the same thing can understand it. When there is constant shelling in the city, you develop a great indifference to death. You see the corpses lying everywhere, and you're not as horrified as you were in the early days. People's corpses are perceived as a detail of the landscape - that's all. You no longer notice all the graves dug near the houses, either.

Jul 12, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Life Under Russian Occupation in Ukraine

Ukrainians living under Russian occupation have found their lives and cities transformed overnight. In addition to continued war crimes, occupied cities see extreme shortages of supplies. The few shops still operating charge exuberant prices due to shortages, many Ukrainians have lost access to their bank accounts as Russians try to force citizens to switch to the Ruble for currency, and proud Ukrainians refuse to participate in Russian propaganda campaigns by accepting aid from the occupiers. Volunteers do the dangerous work of delivering aid from Ukrainian cities to Russian occupied areas, in the cities where aid from Ukraine is still allowed. Even as they are allowed to pass military checkpoints with supplies, local authorities see such work as undermining the forced Russification of Ukraine, and volunteers face arrest or worse to keep doing what they do. Your donations give hope to Ukrainians living under occupation » Volunteers Risk Their Life to Bring Aid to Kherson

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Jul 7, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Resettling Ukrainian Refugees: Cindy’s Story

Nova Ukraine’s resettlement team helps pair host families with Ukrainian refugees who are in desperate need of housing - but we desperately need additional hosts to make this program possible. One successful placement by our team is Cindy and Guy, who agreed to host a mother and daughter in their home. Read their story below. Cindy's Story When the war broke out in Ukraine, my husband Guy and I were so saddened by the plight of the people of Ukraine. We wondered what we could do to help. Then our church announced that there was a need for people to host families who had fled the war and were coming across the border from Mexico. God put it on both of our hearts to volunteer to host a refugee family. We signed up that evening.

Jun 29, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Devastation is Now a Daily Sight in Ukraine

Aid workers are no strangers to working among wreckage, through air sirens, and sometimes even under active fire. Unfortunately, it is not only brave volunteers who are in harm's way. No region of Ukraine is safe. Just this week, Russian long range missiles struck a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, Poltava oblast, central Ukraine - over 400km from the front lines. Over a thousand civilians are estimate to have been in the building at the moment - workers, visitors, families with children. The attack left at least 20 dead, and dozens more still missing. The requests we hear from Ukrainian families are laced with desperation. Many families beg for the most basic things - a gallon of water, a pack of diapers, food to last the week. Your donations support volunteers in all regions of Ukraine, including emergency workers in Poltava. Our efforts continue to rebuild the pillaged homes in Bucha, deliver water to the residents of Mykolaiv, and support aid groups in the occupied regions of Kherson. Support our work in the devastated regions of Ukraine » Natalia is Building a New Life from the Ashes of War

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Jun 24, 2022

Nova Ukraine

How to Help Ukrainian Refugees in the USA

Offer Your Home Nova Ukraine Emergency Housing Our emergency housing hotline deals with the most desperate cases. Sign up below to host an individual or a family for a few days or a few months. Donate Your Old Electronics

Jun 22, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Celebrating Children’s Day in Ukraine

Naturally, we want to give our children all the best in this life. This year it is especially difficult to achieve this mission in Ukraine - children are being born under enemy fire, they celebrate birthdays to the sound of air sirens, and many have lost their loved ones and had to flee their homes. “That is why on Children's Day we wanted to do something different, not just distribute sweets and toys, although this is also important. Because Nova Ukraine is always about something more. Earlier we learned about this organization in Kryvyi Rih called KRC Shelter+. Our volunteer happened to be there, so she took over the coordination of the project and it turned out to be an amazing collaboration” - Katya Bezsudna, Nova Ukraine. KGC Shelter+ is a local Kryvyi Rih initiative that has existed for over 20 years. Children here take art classes, play sports, and perform in a local theater studio. In March 2022, KGC Shelter+ started hosting a new kind of guests - people who fled Donet’sk, Luhans’k, Kherson, and Mykolayiv regions and came to ask for humanitarian aid. About one hundred families are being supported in the center so far. "The number may seem small for such a big country like Ukraine, but we are talking about long-term help here. These children are able to go to our classes and meetups, they have also met friends and they are happy here. Some of the children that have gone through very difficult times are also going to therapy sessions" - Roman Morozov, Program Director of the Shelter+.

Jun 17, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Ukrainian Refugees Were Deported to Russia.
We’re helping them leave.

Refugees from the besieged city of Mariupol have survived unspeakable horrors, including more than a month of non stop shelling, and then life under the Russian occupation in the city. One refugee recalls sharing a basement with 106 others during the bombardment of Mariupol. One day, she told volunteers: “It was warm and the sun was shining and we all left the basement to breathe fresh air and cook outdoors. Suddenly we see a few men passing by the yard. They were dressed entirely in black with balaclavas on their faces. They started filming us on their phones and laughing." "Seconds after they left, shells flew directly into our yard. We ran but were thrown by the shock waves from the explosions. The guy who was cooking had his legs badly injured, with chunks of meat torn off his legs. Another person’s shoulder was badly cut, so we sewed it up with regular sewing thread since we had nothing else for it. We don’t know what we did to provoke the attack, we were just laughing and cooking.” Your donation helps refugees escape Russian occupation »

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Jun 14, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Helping Hand Rebuilds Homes and Lives in Wake of War

The neighbors refer to her as a local good witch. Like Baba Yaga from Slavic fairy tales, she rolls eggs on plates to tell fortunes, warns of diseases, and removes evil marks. After the Russian invasion, however, Galina Stepanivna did more than tell fortunes. She cooked for Ukrainian soldiers fighting in one of the war’s fiercest battles in the village of Moshchun, north of Bucha. When artillery fire hit her home, Galina was hiding in the cellar. The roof of the house collapsed and a shockwave threw her across the room. She survived but others did not. “A boy was torn to pieces so bad, only his leg was found,” she said. Galina and her husband fled. On March 21 Ukrainian forces liberated Moshchun. Galina returned to find all her belongings gone and her home in ruin. She asked the authorities for help and was told they will rebuild — but only after the end of the war. "But where do we live until then?” she asked. "In a dog house?”

Jun 10, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Nevada Doctor Collects Medical Supplies for Ukraine

It takes a village to collect more than 350,000 dollars’ worth of medical supplies and equipment and then deliver it to a hospital in Ukraine. A global village, that is, comprised of a compassionate community in southern Nevada, Nova Ukraine, and a dedicated surgeon who never takes no for an answer. When the war in Ukraine broke out, Las Vegas surgeon Linda Halderman felt helpless that she could not use her medical skills to heal the wounded in Ukraine. “It was very difficult for me to watch knowing that I can stop a hemorrhage and that 90 percent of war injuries that take lives are hemorrhage injuries,” she said. “I wanted to be there on the scene to help." Mission: Supply Ukraine She made inquiries, but soon realized that without a military background she could not be of much help in the warzone. But by collecting medical supplies for hospitals on the frontlines she could help many more people than by applying tourniquets to the wounded herself.

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Jun 6, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Our Spay / Neuter Pilot Program in Odesa

Sterilization of animals may not seem like a top priority in a war zone, but controlling the proliferation of homeless animals is in fact becoming more important now than ever before. That’s why Nova Ukraine is supporting a pilot program in Odesa that provides free sterilization procedures for dogs and cats.Spaying and neutering animals is the most humane way to prevent the the number of homeless animals from increasing while also continuing to care for those already in shelters. It is much easier to maintain quality care for dogs and cats if the population remains relatively stable. Curbing the birth rate frees up available resources, prevents the spread of disease, makes communities safer, and provides for longer and healthier lives for these animals. A crisis of care for homeless animals Requests for shelter care have increased dramatically since the start of the war. Although an increase in such requests is typical in the spring, this year the number of homeless animals has skyrocketed. More animals are being born in Ukraine right now even as the number of people fleeing the country is going up. Shelters are overcrowded and animals are crammed in the homes of volunteers. Without proper spay and neuter procedures, this situation creates a breeding ground for animals — literally. Moreover, with new puppies and kittens being found every day, it is becoming increasingly difficult to properly quarantine them, which, in turn, creates a health risk for volunteers and other animals already in shelters. Because these animals are not properly fed and kept in overcrowded conditions, they often develop immunity and behavioral problems.

Jun 1, 2022

Nova Ukraine

Ukrainian Refugees Arrive in the US

After a long journey through war-torn Ukraine, through multiple temporary stops in Europe and awaiting processing in Mexico City under the Uniting for Ukraine program, refugee families have now received authorization to travel to the United States. Here they will start their new lives in a new land. Sadly many still face an uphill climb: due to a lack of government aid and benefits for Ukrainian refugees, they continue to depend on charitable support for basic needs, housing, and work assistance. Help us build a new life for refugees arriving in the United States » Refugee Center Closing in Mexico City No sooner did Vladimir land on this continent, along with his wife and five young children, that bad news came from home in Ukraine: one of his brothers had died in the war. Soon thereafter, while at the Mexico City hub run by Nova Ukraine and other volunteer organizations, the tragedy became a double whammy: his other brother gave his life for his country as well. Every Ukrainian family in Mexico City has a harrowing tale of escaping the war before seeking safe passage to the United States. Most of them arrived in Mexico before the border crossing in Tijuana was closed. Once the Uniting for Ukraine program was rolled out, however, Ukrainians in Mexico had to apply for humanitarian parole in Mexico City and wait there while the application was processed.

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