This fund was originally created when the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescuers team asked us to help them buy a drone that could be used to locate and identify wounded persons buried under the bombed-out rubbles in Ukraine. For a drone to be useful for such rescue missions, the drone must be equipped with a camera capable of detecting humans trapped under the rubble and provide exact location for the rescue teams to rescue the survivors around the identified spot.
Through this fund, one fully equipped drone has already been purchased and delivered to the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team. Using the drone, our volunteers have already organized multiple rescue missions to get to the hard-to-reach areas, places with damaged and unstable building structures in the ruins of our beautiful cities, and rescue evacuees through the forest areas and help evacuees safely avoid minefields.
Based on the tremendous success of this drone in saving dozens of lives, the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team lead, Max R., humbly appealed to me to help them get more drones, like the one we have already provided to them. They have additional drone operators ready to support multiple rescue trips in parallel and save many more lives. Having more drones would certainly help them to locate and get to people who need help much faster.
Status of the Fund as of June 22, 2022:
Total Contributions Raised (through this fund and other methods): $8970
Total Contributions Used to Purchase DRONE 1 and DRONE 2: $8305
Funds Available: $665
DRONE 1 – Purchased (04/2022) and Delivered (04/19/2022):
Contributions Used to Purchase and Ship DRONE 1 + Camera: $3700
DRONE 2 – Purchased (06/16/2022) and Delivered (07/10/2022):
Contributions Used to Purchase and Ship DRONE 2 + Camera: $4605
NOTE: DRONE 2 is a more expensive newer model because the older one is no longer available
Thank you for your continued and generous support to provide drones to the rescuers in Ukraine. As you can see, your contributions are making a huge difference in Ukraine. Please keep sharing this page link with your friends. We are almost there and with a little help will be able to place the order for the camera.
Stand With Ukraine! Let's help minimize the misery of the citizens of Ukraine as much as possible!
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
Fundraiser Updates (5)
December 20, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends! I am preparing a report of the last shipment that was delivered 12/14/2022 to “Roads of Kindness (”Благодійна Організація "Благодійний Фонд "Дороги Добра". )in Ukraine (please see pictures below). Our shipped medical supplies are being distributed quickly to different locations around Ukraine - some by mail and some by car. You cannot imagine the level of the appreciation of the injured, ordinary citizens, and the institutions, like hospitals when they get these critically needed medical supplies. I could not hold my tears, when I saw people hugging packs of diapers. It is incredible how little things can bring some relief to the people who are suffering from the atrocities of the war (please see pictures below). I am getting ready to ship another shipment of medical supplies to Ukraine. I have lots of boxes with medical supplies, medical first aid kits, warm cloth, provided by anonymous donors and other well-wishers of Ukraine (pictures below). As usual, I am trying to estimate the shipping cost. I am also waiting for another medical supply donation, collected, and organized by Vicky Usik through the St. Joseph hospital. These supplies will be delivered to my home (weight unknown). I will be asking, once again, my friend Felix to use his track to bring everything to my home this week. I am targeting for the shipment to be ready by this Wednesday (12/21) or the next (12/28). Me and my daughter, Dasha, will be repacking and labeling all the boxes as they arrive to my home. I have purchased 9 high quality power banks (to charge phones) and planning to ship these by AIR, because the need of these is urgent and immediate during the frequent blackouts. Give the cost concerns, I am wondering if the rest of the items should be shipped by the SEA or by AIR. I am sure, we all understand the urgency of the supplies getting to Ukraine as fast as possible and I would love for the supplies to be shipped by AIR but will decide about it based on the donations we are able to collect in this round. This shipment expected to be large. I am estimating the cost for the shipment by the SEA to be over $1200 and by the AIR around $3000. From our last tourniquets and bandages donation drive resulted in about $3049.20 of collections. Out of these collections, we used $2,403.16 for: - 50 RATS tourniquets: : $550.5 - 160 SPAS tourniquets (made in Ukraine): $1188.7 - Dog food: $50 - Electric Scooter sent money to help purchase and ship (for easy & fast delivery for volunteers): $250 - Accu-Check Inform System: Thanks to the amazing eBay seller only for $188 - 9 NEW Anker Power Banks Model 325: Thanks to another amazing ebay seller only for $175.96 We have $849 left in the fund, and we plan to use these funds to purchase additional SPAS tourniquets at https://spas.te.ua/
I am appealing to all of you to help me raise funds for these next medical supplies shipment. PLEASE CONSIDER donating to this fund. Any amount matters. If you click through, you'll find my appeal and updates on how the funds are being spent. I will appreciate any contribution and will be eternally grateful if you can share link to this fund in your network. http://spot.fund/P7mbDB
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
November 07, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends!
Yesterday(11/06/22) I purchased 10 Tourniquets made in Ukraine. Called SPAS (If translated, mean save) They just got Certified. Today(11/07/22), they were already delivered to the Благодійна Організація Roads of Kindness address. I received a review and test video back from our Ukrainians army medics and they approved this tourniquet 100%.
Please help me raise funds to purchase these amazing quality tourniquets to save our people lifes. With today’a exchange rate: 1 unit: $8.71 200+ units: $8.16 500+ units: $7.89 FREE DELIVERY This price is unbelievable!
WE SUPPORT UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND UKRAINE ECONOMY BY BUYING TOURNIQUETS MADE IN UKRAINE.
Help me raise funds to buy 200+ units or 500+ units. Below is a video review of SPAS tourniquet made in Ukraine!
“HelpCitizensOfUkraine” fund and I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN SHARE THE LINK OF THIS FUND IN YOUR NETWORK.
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is a PayPal information: my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com Please put a comment or a note "Bandages and Tourniquets for Ukraine"
November 03, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends!
Yet another huge shipment was picked up from my home by Meest truck today. 31 boxes weighing 1137 pounds of critically needed medical supplies for the citizens of Ukraine. This all happened with your invaluable support, help, and generous donations. And I have no words to thank you for your continued support. This shipment contains large quantities of first aid, wound care, surgical, and other medical supplies collected and donated by Vicky Usik at St Joseph Hospital (delivered by Felix Felix), by Nadiya Bailey from a hospital in Virginia, and by several other well-wishers of Ukraine. My sincere thanks and gratitude to a high school student, Tosha S., for raising special funds for the purchase of 50 tourniquets. The purchased tourniquets are on their way to save 50 precious lives in Ukraine.
- Funds raised for this shipment $1,462.7 - Shipment by Sea cost: $1421.25 - Funds remaining: $40.85
Here are a few photos and a short video showing the packages and pick up of medical supplies that you have helped us to collect! THANK YOU!
I really appreciate what everyone has done to help support Ukrainian citizens during these very tough times. PLEASE CONTINUE donating to this fund. Any amount matters. If you click through, you'll find my appeal and updates on how the funds are being spent. I will appreciate any contribution or will be eternally grateful if you can share link to this fund in your network.
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
October 19, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Ukraine Urgently Needs Bandages and Tourniquets!
Dear Friends,
With the recent Russian rocket attacks on the citizens of Ukraine, dozens of innocent people are dying every day. The rocket shrapnel, collapsing buildings, and falling debris are also causing indiscriminate injuries ranging from cuts to broken bones to multiple and deep lacerations of limbs with profuse and uncontrolled bleeding. To stop the injured from bleeding to death, the first-aid volunteers must use bandages and tourniquets before the injured can be taken to hospital.
Thanks to your generous donations, I have been purchasing tourniquets and shipping them to Ukraine. Since the start of the war, we have shipped around 600 bandages and 200 tourniquets to our volunteer lead contact Peter and to the charity, Roads of Kindness. These bandages and tourniquets have already saved numerous precious lives but with increased atrocities, we need to urgently send more bandages and tourniquets.
Unfortunately, the volunteers, including Peter, got Caught in the indiscriminate rocket bombing in Kiev. They are all OK but as you can see in the following video, their car got damaged in the blast, but their spirits are high and are continuing with their volunteer work: https://youtube.com/shorts/t4I_D-ITFUg?feature=share
In the following video, Peter and the team of volunteers are helping the injured using bandages: https://youtu.be/FCtrXQrCeZA
As you can see, the need is urgent and immediate. Please donate generously towards the target of purchasing and shipping 500 tourniquets and 500 bandages within next 60 days. I have been purchasing tourniquets and bandages at the following discounted rate:
• RATS ourniquets @ $12 each, Total cost of 500 Tourniquets: $6,000 • Israeli or Emergency Pressure Bandages @ $6-7 each, Total cost of 500 Bandages: $3000 - $3500 • Estimated Shipping Cost for 500 tourniquets and 500 bandages: $500
Total funds to be raised in this round: $9,500 - $10,000
I am so humbled with your generous and timely help which enabled us to deliver 3 drones and many packages of medical supplies to our volunteers in Ukraine. Thank you so much for your generosity and support for Ukraine. I am so grateful.
This is a new fundraising appeal within my existing spotfund “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” to fulfill the urgent need for these medical supplies for the citizens who are on the receiving end of the indiscriminate rockets and bombing attacks. Due to this urgent need, all collected in “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” spotfund will go to this new fund-raising drive. I am relying on your generous and continued support for this noble mission. PLEASE DONATE TO “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” fund and I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN SHARE THE LINK OF THIS FUND IN YOUR NETWORK. DroneTheSaviorForUkraine
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information: my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
Please put a comment or a note "Bandages and Tourniquets for Ukraine"
October 10, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Hello Friends!
As I promised, I now have the long-awaited update about the delivery of Drone #3 under the “Drone, The Savior for Ukraine” Fund that was created when the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team asked us to help them to buy a drone that could be used to locate and rescue wounded people buried under the bombed-out buildings in Ukraine. Today, I am proud to inform you that as of today, we, as friends of Ukraine, have raised funds to purchase and successfully deliver 3 drones to the Volunteers Rescue team in Ukraine. An awesome accomplishment! Our rescue drones are already in operation and have saved so many lives and have provided much needed comfort to our suffering citizens. Thank you so much, my dear friend, you made it all possible. Also, not to forget, my sincere thanks to the charity organizations, Nova Ukraine and Roads of Kindness; their support was instrumental is what we have been able to accomplish so far.
Out of the three, Drone #3 deserves more details on the unbelievable hurdles we went through in acquiring, shipping, and delivering it to the volunteers. I would like to outline our challenges and appreciate friends of Ukraine who stepped in at the right time to overcome these obstacles.
We applied for the Nova Ukraine grant to fund the purchase of Drone #3 around the end of June. On July 8th, Katya Bezsudna, Nova Ukraine representative, who helped and guided us through the whole grant application process, gave us the amazing news – our grant application has been approved and awarded. Roads of Kindness was the official organization to receive the grant funds, purchase, and deliver the drone to volunteer rescue team lead, Max, in Ukraine.
• Total grant approved (in Ukrainian Currency Hryvna): 269,100 Hryvna • Total grant approved (in US Dollars at a rate of 29.25 per $): $9,200
The approved amount matched the drone price quoted on a Polish website in Polish currency Zloty: 30,750 zl
Given our previous experience of purchasing 2 drones, we thought, it will be quick and easy to make this purchase and deliver it to the rescue team. Only, it was not quick and not at all easy. It took us almost two month and help of many amazing people, some of whom, I just happened to virtually meet but at the right time and right place, to make this complex purchase and shipment possible. Here the timeline of key events:
• July 8: Award was approved and granted
• July 9: I started facilitating between Katerina (Nova Ukraine) and Viktoria (Roads of Kindness)
• July 18: Received an email that drone is available on the same website, but price has increased to 34,440 zl – almost 4000 zl increase
• July 19: The seller sent us the new draft invoice for 34,440 zl.
• July 20: The order was placed via an email agreement, and we were sent a formal invoice for payment. Seller agreed to place the drone on hold for us for 34476.36 zloty
• July 20: The grant agreement between “Roads of Kindness” and “Nova Ukraine” was finally signed
• July 25: The awarded grant funds, in Hryvna, were transferred to “Roads of Kindness” in the originally agreed amount of 269,100 Hryvna
• July 26: We needed to wire transfer the grant funds to the Polish company, seller of the drone to make the purchase, but we learned about the new National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) law for monthly limits on funds transfer out of Ukraine via wire transfers. For us, it immediately stopped our transfer of funds to Poland.
• July 28: We then decided to purchase Zlotys locally and use the purchased Zlotys in Poland for the purchase. It took us several days and many Kiev currency exchange places to get the needed amount converted in Zlotys – everyone we knew were looking for Zlotys for us. After some efforts, we were able to convert our Hryvna to Zlotys. Once we got the 34,440 zloty, another crisis hit - Ukraine devalued its currency by 25% against the U.S. dollar which resulted in another shortfall in funds available for the purchase. To cover the price change and Hryvna fall, we paid the additional $790 to Viktoria “Roads of Kindness” (designated to make the payment for drone using the grant funds)
• July 29: We started looking for the person to take the money to Poland to pay for the drone from the Poland bank or in person (Ukrainian law allows 10,000 Euro or equivalent across the border by verbally reporting it to the customs officer).
• August 8: Another crazy event hit our plans. Despite the agreement with the drone selling company and assurance from them that they will hold the drone for us at the agreed upon price, we get the notification of the new price jump 36,324 zl ($415 additional). This was the second price hike for the drone and totally unreasonable and not in good faith – I begged and pleaded not to change the agreed upon price but to no avail. It was extremely disappointing and frustrating, and we lost our confidence on the seller – we reasoned that even if agree on the new price, we could face another price hike before we are ready for the payment. Our rescue team is waiting for this drone while we are trying to catch up with the ever-changing price. We decided to look for another seller of the same drone
• August 9: Finally, our search succeeded, and we found the same exact drone for 31400 zl. The new seller company contact had China address and phone number. I started communicating with them to explore if we could somehow purchase the drone from this company
• August 10: We got the invoice from the new seller for 31400 zl but we were stuck with 34400 zl in Ukraine, with no straightforward way to pay to the foreign acct in Poland. The company in China was very supportive and said that they will wait as long as needed.
• August 11: We started yet another quest for the way to make this transaction. After multiple phone calls and reaching out to a lot of people, Viktoria (Roads of Kindness) was able to find this amazing person, Brian, an American citizen, who agreed to pay from his non-Ukrainian account for the drone and was ok with us giving him 34400 zl in cas
• August 17: After the transaction started, we had 6 long days of waiting for the Chinese company to confirm that money was on their account. Of course, we were afraid that we could get scammed and conned. We never heard of that company, there were no credit card or PayPal payment to have any feeling of protection, but given the times and situation, we had no choice but to trust and wait - 6 long days. And then we heard from those amazing guys in China, that they have the money and provided us the tracking number for the shipment. Then, we waited and waited for the shipment to be received by our contact Pasha in Poland.
Now, if you think that this is the end of the story, you are mistaken. We still had to figure out how to get this drone from Poland to Kiev.
• August 23: Our old method, the one we used to transfer two other drones, did not work anymore. Another series of calls started - I am calling everywhere from here in US and Viktoria is calling everywhere from Ukraine to find a courier to take the drone to Kiev. To make a long story short, we bumped into Brian again. Yes, that Brian, who helped us with the payment happened to be in Poland, on August 23 and was leaving for Kiev in the morning of August 24. We started calling Pasha to get the drone to Brian’s hotel before he leaves for Kiev. But we found out that Pasha is leaving on business trip and is unable to do it. Then we met another beautiful soul, Svetlana, who lives here in Baltimore and happen to know another beautiful soul in Poland, Renata (She is a beautiful Polish girl), who happen to live not too far from Pasha. With no questions asked, Renata drove to Pasha to pick up the drone. It was way after midnight, when she reported to me and Svetlana, that she has delivered the drone to Brian – wow, what a relief! I was able to sleep better for the rest of the night
• August 26: Thanks to Brian, the drone was delivered to the Road of kindness
• August 29: The drone was handed over to the rescue team lead, Max. We got the videos and a photo report of the transfer of the drone to Max
This was the moment when I felt like crying for the two incredible feelings of joy and relief. Firstly, feeling that with help and support from friends and people we did not even know at all, we just cannot loose. Secondly, when I saw Max’s face in the picture and the video for the first time, I realized that he is a very young man who turned 20 in August of this year. I have been talking with Max for a while, but his maturity over the phone matched a seasoned person who had been around and seen a lot. With the committed young men like Max, I have no doubt about a bright and brilliant future for Ukraine in a very short time.
Thank you, Max, Katrina, Viktoria, Svetlana, Renata, Pasha, Brian, and you all, my dear friends and those who care. In these stressful and agonizing days, you brought hope and moments of happiness for so many. Thank you so much!
This fund was originally created when the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescuers team asked us to help them buy a drone that could be used to locate and identify wounded persons buried under the bombed-out rubbles in Ukraine. For a drone to be useful for such rescue missions, the drone must be equipped with a camera capable of detecting humans trapped under the rubble and provide exact location for the rescue teams to rescue the survivors around the identified spot.
Through this fund, one fully equipped drone has already been purchased and delivered to the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team. Using the drone, our volunteers have already organized multiple rescue missions to get to the hard-to-reach areas, places with damaged and unstable building structures in the ruins of our beautiful cities, and rescue evacuees through the forest areas and help evacuees safely avoid minefields.
Based on the tremendous success of this drone in saving dozens of lives, the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team lead, Max R., humbly appealed to me to help them get more drones, like the one we have already provided to them. They have additional drone operators ready to support multiple rescue trips in parallel and save many more lives. Having more drones would certainly help them to locate and get to people who need help much faster.
Status of the Fund as of June 22, 2022:
Total Contributions Raised (through this fund and other methods): $8970
Total Contributions Used to Purchase DRONE 1 and DRONE 2: $8305
Funds Available: $665
DRONE 1 – Purchased (04/2022) and Delivered (04/19/2022):
Contributions Used to Purchase and Ship DRONE 1 + Camera: $3700
DRONE 2 – Purchased (06/16/2022) and Delivered (07/10/2022):
Contributions Used to Purchase and Ship DRONE 2 + Camera: $4605
NOTE: DRONE 2 is a more expensive newer model because the older one is no longer available
Thank you for your continued and generous support to provide drones to the rescuers in Ukraine. As you can see, your contributions are making a huge difference in Ukraine. Please keep sharing this page link with your friends. We are almost there and with a little help will be able to place the order for the camera.
Stand With Ukraine! Let's help minimize the misery of the citizens of Ukraine as much as possible!
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
Fundraiser Updates (5)
December 20, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends! I am preparing a report of the last shipment that was delivered 12/14/2022 to “Roads of Kindness (”Благодійна Організація "Благодійний Фонд "Дороги Добра". )in Ukraine (please see pictures below). Our shipped medical supplies are being distributed quickly to different locations around Ukraine - some by mail and some by car. You cannot imagine the level of the appreciation of the injured, ordinary citizens, and the institutions, like hospitals when they get these critically needed medical supplies. I could not hold my tears, when I saw people hugging packs of diapers. It is incredible how little things can bring some relief to the people who are suffering from the atrocities of the war (please see pictures below). I am getting ready to ship another shipment of medical supplies to Ukraine. I have lots of boxes with medical supplies, medical first aid kits, warm cloth, provided by anonymous donors and other well-wishers of Ukraine (pictures below). As usual, I am trying to estimate the shipping cost. I am also waiting for another medical supply donation, collected, and organized by Vicky Usik through the St. Joseph hospital. These supplies will be delivered to my home (weight unknown). I will be asking, once again, my friend Felix to use his track to bring everything to my home this week. I am targeting for the shipment to be ready by this Wednesday (12/21) or the next (12/28). Me and my daughter, Dasha, will be repacking and labeling all the boxes as they arrive to my home. I have purchased 9 high quality power banks (to charge phones) and planning to ship these by AIR, because the need of these is urgent and immediate during the frequent blackouts. Give the cost concerns, I am wondering if the rest of the items should be shipped by the SEA or by AIR. I am sure, we all understand the urgency of the supplies getting to Ukraine as fast as possible and I would love for the supplies to be shipped by AIR but will decide about it based on the donations we are able to collect in this round. This shipment expected to be large. I am estimating the cost for the shipment by the SEA to be over $1200 and by the AIR around $3000. From our last tourniquets and bandages donation drive resulted in about $3049.20 of collections. Out of these collections, we used $2,403.16 for: - 50 RATS tourniquets: : $550.5 - 160 SPAS tourniquets (made in Ukraine): $1188.7 - Dog food: $50 - Electric Scooter sent money to help purchase and ship (for easy & fast delivery for volunteers): $250 - Accu-Check Inform System: Thanks to the amazing eBay seller only for $188 - 9 NEW Anker Power Banks Model 325: Thanks to another amazing ebay seller only for $175.96 We have $849 left in the fund, and we plan to use these funds to purchase additional SPAS tourniquets at https://spas.te.ua/
I am appealing to all of you to help me raise funds for these next medical supplies shipment. PLEASE CONSIDER donating to this fund. Any amount matters. If you click through, you'll find my appeal and updates on how the funds are being spent. I will appreciate any contribution and will be eternally grateful if you can share link to this fund in your network. http://spot.fund/P7mbDB
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
November 07, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends!
Yesterday(11/06/22) I purchased 10 Tourniquets made in Ukraine. Called SPAS (If translated, mean save) They just got Certified. Today(11/07/22), they were already delivered to the Благодійна Організація Roads of Kindness address. I received a review and test video back from our Ukrainians army medics and they approved this tourniquet 100%.
Please help me raise funds to purchase these amazing quality tourniquets to save our people lifes. With today’a exchange rate: 1 unit: $8.71 200+ units: $8.16 500+ units: $7.89 FREE DELIVERY This price is unbelievable!
WE SUPPORT UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND UKRAINE ECONOMY BY BUYING TOURNIQUETS MADE IN UKRAINE.
Help me raise funds to buy 200+ units or 500+ units. Below is a video review of SPAS tourniquet made in Ukraine!
“HelpCitizensOfUkraine” fund and I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN SHARE THE LINK OF THIS FUND IN YOUR NETWORK.
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is a PayPal information: my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com Please put a comment or a note "Bandages and Tourniquets for Ukraine"
November 03, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Dear Friends!
Yet another huge shipment was picked up from my home by Meest truck today. 31 boxes weighing 1137 pounds of critically needed medical supplies for the citizens of Ukraine. This all happened with your invaluable support, help, and generous donations. And I have no words to thank you for your continued support. This shipment contains large quantities of first aid, wound care, surgical, and other medical supplies collected and donated by Vicky Usik at St Joseph Hospital (delivered by Felix Felix), by Nadiya Bailey from a hospital in Virginia, and by several other well-wishers of Ukraine. My sincere thanks and gratitude to a high school student, Tosha S., for raising special funds for the purchase of 50 tourniquets. The purchased tourniquets are on their way to save 50 precious lives in Ukraine.
- Funds raised for this shipment $1,462.7 - Shipment by Sea cost: $1421.25 - Funds remaining: $40.85
Here are a few photos and a short video showing the packages and pick up of medical supplies that you have helped us to collect! THANK YOU!
I really appreciate what everyone has done to help support Ukrainian citizens during these very tough times. PLEASE CONTINUE donating to this fund. Any amount matters. If you click through, you'll find my appeal and updates on how the funds are being spent. I will appreciate any contribution or will be eternally grateful if you can share link to this fund in your network.
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information. Please put a note "Help Ukraine" my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
October 19, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Ukraine Urgently Needs Bandages and Tourniquets!
Dear Friends,
With the recent Russian rocket attacks on the citizens of Ukraine, dozens of innocent people are dying every day. The rocket shrapnel, collapsing buildings, and falling debris are also causing indiscriminate injuries ranging from cuts to broken bones to multiple and deep lacerations of limbs with profuse and uncontrolled bleeding. To stop the injured from bleeding to death, the first-aid volunteers must use bandages and tourniquets before the injured can be taken to hospital.
Thanks to your generous donations, I have been purchasing tourniquets and shipping them to Ukraine. Since the start of the war, we have shipped around 600 bandages and 200 tourniquets to our volunteer lead contact Peter and to the charity, Roads of Kindness. These bandages and tourniquets have already saved numerous precious lives but with increased atrocities, we need to urgently send more bandages and tourniquets.
Unfortunately, the volunteers, including Peter, got Caught in the indiscriminate rocket bombing in Kiev. They are all OK but as you can see in the following video, their car got damaged in the blast, but their spirits are high and are continuing with their volunteer work: https://youtube.com/shorts/t4I_D-ITFUg?feature=share
In the following video, Peter and the team of volunteers are helping the injured using bandages: https://youtu.be/FCtrXQrCeZA
As you can see, the need is urgent and immediate. Please donate generously towards the target of purchasing and shipping 500 tourniquets and 500 bandages within next 60 days. I have been purchasing tourniquets and bandages at the following discounted rate:
• RATS ourniquets @ $12 each, Total cost of 500 Tourniquets: $6,000 • Israeli or Emergency Pressure Bandages @ $6-7 each, Total cost of 500 Bandages: $3000 - $3500 • Estimated Shipping Cost for 500 tourniquets and 500 bandages: $500
Total funds to be raised in this round: $9,500 - $10,000
I am so humbled with your generous and timely help which enabled us to deliver 3 drones and many packages of medical supplies to our volunteers in Ukraine. Thank you so much for your generosity and support for Ukraine. I am so grateful.
This is a new fundraising appeal within my existing spotfund “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” to fulfill the urgent need for these medical supplies for the citizens who are on the receiving end of the indiscriminate rockets and bombing attacks. Due to this urgent need, all collected in “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” spotfund will go to this new fund-raising drive. I am relying on your generous and continued support for this noble mission. PLEASE DONATE TO “DroneTheSaviorForUkraine” fund and I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN SHARE THE LINK OF THIS FUND IN YOUR NETWORK. DroneTheSaviorForUkraine
NOTE: if you prefer PayPal, here is my PayPal information: my PayPal: vlyalko@hotmail.com
Please put a comment or a note "Bandages and Tourniquets for Ukraine"
October 10, 2022
Vera Lyalko
Hello Friends!
As I promised, I now have the long-awaited update about the delivery of Drone #3 under the “Drone, The Savior for Ukraine” Fund that was created when the Ukrainian Volunteer Rescue team asked us to help them to buy a drone that could be used to locate and rescue wounded people buried under the bombed-out buildings in Ukraine. Today, I am proud to inform you that as of today, we, as friends of Ukraine, have raised funds to purchase and successfully deliver 3 drones to the Volunteers Rescue team in Ukraine. An awesome accomplishment! Our rescue drones are already in operation and have saved so many lives and have provided much needed comfort to our suffering citizens. Thank you so much, my dear friend, you made it all possible. Also, not to forget, my sincere thanks to the charity organizations, Nova Ukraine and Roads of Kindness; their support was instrumental is what we have been able to accomplish so far.
Out of the three, Drone #3 deserves more details on the unbelievable hurdles we went through in acquiring, shipping, and delivering it to the volunteers. I would like to outline our challenges and appreciate friends of Ukraine who stepped in at the right time to overcome these obstacles.
We applied for the Nova Ukraine grant to fund the purchase of Drone #3 around the end of June. On July 8th, Katya Bezsudna, Nova Ukraine representative, who helped and guided us through the whole grant application process, gave us the amazing news – our grant application has been approved and awarded. Roads of Kindness was the official organization to receive the grant funds, purchase, and deliver the drone to volunteer rescue team lead, Max, in Ukraine.
• Total grant approved (in Ukrainian Currency Hryvna): 269,100 Hryvna • Total grant approved (in US Dollars at a rate of 29.25 per $): $9,200
The approved amount matched the drone price quoted on a Polish website in Polish currency Zloty: 30,750 zl
Given our previous experience of purchasing 2 drones, we thought, it will be quick and easy to make this purchase and deliver it to the rescue team. Only, it was not quick and not at all easy. It took us almost two month and help of many amazing people, some of whom, I just happened to virtually meet but at the right time and right place, to make this complex purchase and shipment possible. Here the timeline of key events:
• July 8: Award was approved and granted
• July 9: I started facilitating between Katerina (Nova Ukraine) and Viktoria (Roads of Kindness)
• July 18: Received an email that drone is available on the same website, but price has increased to 34,440 zl – almost 4000 zl increase
• July 19: The seller sent us the new draft invoice for 34,440 zl.
• July 20: The order was placed via an email agreement, and we were sent a formal invoice for payment. Seller agreed to place the drone on hold for us for 34476.36 zloty
• July 20: The grant agreement between “Roads of Kindness” and “Nova Ukraine” was finally signed
• July 25: The awarded grant funds, in Hryvna, were transferred to “Roads of Kindness” in the originally agreed amount of 269,100 Hryvna
• July 26: We needed to wire transfer the grant funds to the Polish company, seller of the drone to make the purchase, but we learned about the new National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) law for monthly limits on funds transfer out of Ukraine via wire transfers. For us, it immediately stopped our transfer of funds to Poland.
• July 28: We then decided to purchase Zlotys locally and use the purchased Zlotys in Poland for the purchase. It took us several days and many Kiev currency exchange places to get the needed amount converted in Zlotys – everyone we knew were looking for Zlotys for us. After some efforts, we were able to convert our Hryvna to Zlotys. Once we got the 34,440 zloty, another crisis hit - Ukraine devalued its currency by 25% against the U.S. dollar which resulted in another shortfall in funds available for the purchase. To cover the price change and Hryvna fall, we paid the additional $790 to Viktoria “Roads of Kindness” (designated to make the payment for drone using the grant funds)
• July 29: We started looking for the person to take the money to Poland to pay for the drone from the Poland bank or in person (Ukrainian law allows 10,000 Euro or equivalent across the border by verbally reporting it to the customs officer).
• August 8: Another crazy event hit our plans. Despite the agreement with the drone selling company and assurance from them that they will hold the drone for us at the agreed upon price, we get the notification of the new price jump 36,324 zl ($415 additional). This was the second price hike for the drone and totally unreasonable and not in good faith – I begged and pleaded not to change the agreed upon price but to no avail. It was extremely disappointing and frustrating, and we lost our confidence on the seller – we reasoned that even if agree on the new price, we could face another price hike before we are ready for the payment. Our rescue team is waiting for this drone while we are trying to catch up with the ever-changing price. We decided to look for another seller of the same drone
• August 9: Finally, our search succeeded, and we found the same exact drone for 31400 zl. The new seller company contact had China address and phone number. I started communicating with them to explore if we could somehow purchase the drone from this company
• August 10: We got the invoice from the new seller for 31400 zl but we were stuck with 34400 zl in Ukraine, with no straightforward way to pay to the foreign acct in Poland. The company in China was very supportive and said that they will wait as long as needed.
• August 11: We started yet another quest for the way to make this transaction. After multiple phone calls and reaching out to a lot of people, Viktoria (Roads of Kindness) was able to find this amazing person, Brian, an American citizen, who agreed to pay from his non-Ukrainian account for the drone and was ok with us giving him 34400 zl in cas
• August 17: After the transaction started, we had 6 long days of waiting for the Chinese company to confirm that money was on their account. Of course, we were afraid that we could get scammed and conned. We never heard of that company, there were no credit card or PayPal payment to have any feeling of protection, but given the times and situation, we had no choice but to trust and wait - 6 long days. And then we heard from those amazing guys in China, that they have the money and provided us the tracking number for the shipment. Then, we waited and waited for the shipment to be received by our contact Pasha in Poland.
Now, if you think that this is the end of the story, you are mistaken. We still had to figure out how to get this drone from Poland to Kiev.
• August 23: Our old method, the one we used to transfer two other drones, did not work anymore. Another series of calls started - I am calling everywhere from here in US and Viktoria is calling everywhere from Ukraine to find a courier to take the drone to Kiev. To make a long story short, we bumped into Brian again. Yes, that Brian, who helped us with the payment happened to be in Poland, on August 23 and was leaving for Kiev in the morning of August 24. We started calling Pasha to get the drone to Brian’s hotel before he leaves for Kiev. But we found out that Pasha is leaving on business trip and is unable to do it. Then we met another beautiful soul, Svetlana, who lives here in Baltimore and happen to know another beautiful soul in Poland, Renata (She is a beautiful Polish girl), who happen to live not too far from Pasha. With no questions asked, Renata drove to Pasha to pick up the drone. It was way after midnight, when she reported to me and Svetlana, that she has delivered the drone to Brian – wow, what a relief! I was able to sleep better for the rest of the night
• August 26: Thanks to Brian, the drone was delivered to the Road of kindness
• August 29: The drone was handed over to the rescue team lead, Max. We got the videos and a photo report of the transfer of the drone to Max
This was the moment when I felt like crying for the two incredible feelings of joy and relief. Firstly, feeling that with help and support from friends and people we did not even know at all, we just cannot loose. Secondly, when I saw Max’s face in the picture and the video for the first time, I realized that he is a very young man who turned 20 in August of this year. I have been talking with Max for a while, but his maturity over the phone matched a seasoned person who had been around and seen a lot. With the committed young men like Max, I have no doubt about a bright and brilliant future for Ukraine in a very short time.
Thank you, Max, Katrina, Viktoria, Svetlana, Renata, Pasha, Brian, and you all, my dear friends and those who care. In these stressful and agonizing days, you brought hope and moments of happiness for so many. Thank you so much!
