How to Help The Victims of Flooding in Kherson

Once again the news from Kakhova and the Kherson region are terrible. Russia bombarded the Kakhovka dam and water from the Dnieper River flooded the region for miles on end. I have good friends who had to flee from the Russian occupation last year and now their remaining family members and friends are escaping because of the flooding. As of now, more than 80 villages and towns have been submerged. Miles of fields full of produce are under water. Animals have been drowning, unable to escape the sudden inundation. It’s a major social and environmental disaster and the consequences are far-reaching. In the areas occupied by Russia, people have to rely on their own efforts to evacuate their families. Elsewhere, the situation already difficult because of the fighting is becoming increasingly grim.

How to help:

Zeilen van Vrijheid

A Dutch group of volunteers that provides help to Ukraine. They are currently holding a fundraiser to help the victims of the Kakhovka dam explosion.

To donate: visit their website and make a donation with a comment “Kherson.” Or donate to their Paypal account [email protected] and include a comment “Kherson.” Armenian artist and photographer Lilya Corneli will send you one of her beautiful floral prints, if you contact her with a proof of donation via her Instagram @lilyacorneli. Her work is stunning and this is a special treat.

Artist and writer Darya Zorka has a really good list of organizations accepting donations, and I wanted to highlight the following groups that work in the Kherson region:

KHERSON: “Dziva” is a volunteer organization that provides help to people in Kherson and villages in the Kherson region. 

They bring food, water, medicine, clothes and other aid to people in need. 

To donate: PayPal: [email protected] (Валерий Зарубин/ Valeriy Zarubin)

Instagram: @go_dziva

Instagram of one of the founders: Valeriy Zarubin

KHERSON: Lena Samojlenko is a volunteer who focuses on helping the elderly and people with disabilities in the Kherson region.

She brings medicine, warm clothes, blankets for bedridden people, as well as adult diapers and other necessary hygiene items.

To donate: PayPal: [email protected] (Olena Samoilenko)

Instagram: @lenasamojlenko

Quick note with current updates: https://quicknote.io/ (It’s in Ukrainian, please translate in browser)

KHERSON: Svitlana Bugaenko is a volunteer who brings humanitarian aid to Kherson and liberated villages in Kherson region.

She brings food, water, hygiene items and medicine.

To donate: PayPal: [email protected] (Светлана Бугаенко/ Svitlana Bugaenko)

TikTok: @svit_lanabugaenko

Link with more info: https://taplink.cc/volunteer_svetlana

KHERSON/ MYKOLAIV: “Ukraine. United in Diversity” is a charitable foundation that provides food, organizes evacuations and brings drinking water to people in Mykolaiv, especially to the elderly and families with kids. 

Additionally they take care of stray animals and animal shelters in the Kherson region.

To donate: visit their website or PayPal: [email protected] (Anastasiia Sokoliuk)

Website: https://unitedindiversity.org.ua/

Instagram: @united.in.diversity.ukraine

Finally, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) remains a trustworthy source as they work directly on the ground and provide help where other organizations do not. Another very important consideration is that their administrative overhead is minimal, so most of your donation ends up helping people in need.

To donate: visit the MSF website

EDIT: a reader sent me a link to a website that  lists Ukrainian businesses and charities we can support in these difficult times, https://www.safetydetectives.com/blog/supporting-ukrainian-businesses-charities/. Thank you, Olivia!

Photography by Bois de Jasmin, from my trip in Kherson.