Ukraine: 3 years of war
Today, February 24, marks the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Thousands of people have been killed and millions have lost their homes, been forced to flee and uproot their lives. Oxfam has been on the ground since 2022 and, together with our partners, we have reached more than 2.4 million people with life-saving interventions. It's thanks to donors like you that this has been possible.
In the midst of it all, heroes also emerge. Anna Kulyeva is one of them. She and her family stayed at home in the town of Cherniv for as long as they could, but eventually the bombing became too much and they were forced to flee. When things calmed down, they were able to return - but by then the devastation in their hometown was enormous.
Anna then decided to set up Anika, a foundation to help the people of Cherniv.
"At first, we helped with whatever we could - baby food, groceries, hygiene products, small appliances, clothes for survivors."
Anna Kulyeva, founder of the Anika Foundation
Anna also got in touch with Oxfam, and Oxfam has been supporting the foundation ever since. Together, we have been able to develop Anika's activities, rebuilding destroyed homes and shelters, restoring heat and providing grants to local small businesses.
"Our first collaboration was very successful. It felt like we moved from addressing small, urgent needs to tackling something bigger - like enabling people to return to their homes."
Anna Kulyeva, founder of the Anika Foundation
The foundation has already reached thousands of people locally in Cherniv. But despite its success, Anna wants more than anything to spend time with her family and for the war to end:
"I long for peace. I have forgotten what calm feels like. Right now, it's just a word in the dictionary for me, nothing more. I hope all this will end soon. In the future, I want the Foundation to continue, but I hope to shift its focus towards long-term goals and recovery rather than responding to the immediate crises caused by the war."
Anna Kulyeva, founder of the Anika Foundation
It is thanks to the close cooperation with local organizations like Anika that Oxfam has been able to reach the people of Ukraine as quickly and effectively as possible. Without our monthly donors, none of this would be possible. For that we say a big thank you. For an equal future.
