The ‘Humanitarian Descent’ of volunteers from the Slots City Foundation helped the victims in Uman

Volunteers from the Slots City Foundation have returned from a mission to Uman, where a recent Russian rocket destroyed a residential high-rise, leaving victims and devastation. The Foundation’s ‘Humanitarian Descent’ provided assistance to people who were left homeless and in need of essentials such as food, clothing, household appliances, and temporary housing.

Fifteen-year-old Oleg* (all names changed) lost his mother. They lived together with his stepfather in a house that was hit by a rocket, while Oleg’s grandparents lived in the neighboring apartment. The boy survived only because he couldn’t communicate with his stepfather that evening and went to spend the night at his grandmother’s. His home, along with all his belongings, burned down.

The Foundation’s volunteers bought Oleg the necessary clothing: sneakers, jeans, tracksuits, socks, underwear, and t-shirts. Survivors are not allowed to enter the damaged building because the stoves have tilted and it is unsafe. Since the surviving family had nowhere to live, our volunteers rented temporary accommodation for Oleg, his grandfather, and grandmother.

Oleg had a saxophone, but it was burned in the fire. Now, the Foundation’s ‘Humanitarian Descent’ is collecting an instrument for the boy to deliver to Uman.

Unlike Oleg, his neighbor on the 7th floor, Svitlana*, witnessed the rocket’s impact directly in her apartment. At 4 a.m., she woke up from the noise of the fighter jets that were shooting down rockets. One of the rockets broke the window in Svitlana’s kitchen and flew into the corridor, taking everything with it. Within five seconds, a fire broke out.

Svitlana managed to escape to the balcony in a t-shirt and one sneaker. She was evacuated first, just five minutes before a slab from her apartment collapsed.

Our volunteers arrived just in time for Svitlana’s discharge from the hospital, where she was being treated for burns. We went shopping to buy her things (clothing, household appliances). Svitlana lost everything, but the most important thing is that she survived. The volunteers from Slots City Foundation are still amazed at how resilient she is, despite the horrors she experienced. Among other things, we bought her a laptop so that Svitlana can continue her lessons with children. She teaches English and Ukrainian languages.

“The value of life is incredible. It is impossible to fully convey the emotions of our trip in words. We are mentally and physically exhausted after two days of the journey, but it’s nothing compared to what the people in Uman have experienced,” says Oleksandr*, a volunteer from the Slots City Foundation.

 

“When we were preparing for the trip, it was unclear how much help we could provide to the victims. But seeing all the ruins, fresh graves, and the rescued people with our own eyes, you start to appreciate life differently,” confesses the volunteer. “We spent a significant portion of our energy and resources on emergency aid, but it was all worth it. We brought food packages for the victims, went with them to appliance stores to provide them with the essentials. I will never forget their eyes… In times of trouble, it is crucial to know that there are people ready to respond, come, and help, like the volunteers from our small foundation. Today, help can come to any home”.

In its one year of existence, the Slots City Foundation’s volunteers have delivered over 100 aid packages to the front lines. The Slots City Foundation takes care of military units, helps displaced people, supports military medics, and funds the drone school, where our defenders can receive free training. The total aid from the Foundation and its friends for the army and the victims of ear has exceeded 31,3 millions of UAH.