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IDPs in Zaporizhia have a regular access to humanitarian assistance, in particular from the Saving Lives humanitarian initiative. Recently, one more humanitarian aid convoy for shelter residents has arrived in Zaporizhia.

Nine Zaporizhia-based shelters for IDPs will receive 3,174 litres of packaged fruit flavoured tea in bags. The assistance has been provided as part of the Saving Lives humanitarian project implemented by Metinvest in concert with the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. Zaporizhia. Joint Action Platform NGO helps coordinate efforts to provide support to internally displaced people in Zaporizhia. The city continues to host IDPs from Zaporizhia Oblast and the adjacent regions, so it needs help more than ever.

“We continue the humanitarian work, providing assistance to residents of Zaporizhia shelters. This week we have brought fruit-flavoured tea, about 6,300 packs. Zaporizhia is holding out; the city residents are holding out. And we are happy that we already have almost 200 foreign companies that have joined us in the project and continue to help Zaporizhia shelters,” said Anna Hlavcheva, manager of Zaporizhia. Joint Action Platform.

A representative of one of the shelters that received the aid said that 56 displaced persons from Zaporizhia Oblast and Mariupol live there.

“People have been given accommodation and everything they needed: furniture, household appliances, and food. We engage volunteers to help them. City and oblast administrations help as well. IDPs have kitchens to cook for themselves. Currently, the shelter needs drinking water, because one of the charities that used to help has scaled down its operations in Zaporizhia. Any help is welcome, we are sincerely grateful for it,” said Kateryna Kurakova.

It feels like home in the kitchens for IDPs. People say that the shelters offer good living conditions, but they really want to go home and are waiting for the time when they can do it. No doubt, aid and attention support them a lot.

“Delicious! A good tea, with lemon, ginger, and some fruit. It feels good to be taken care of and looked after. It is important, thank you,” said Tamara from Hulaipole.

“I have been displaced twice. In 2014, we were fleeing Maryinka under shelling, with two children. Now I have three kids. We left Marinka for Pryiutne village, Polohiv District, where I come from, to my mother’s place and lived there for eight years. Then in April we left the village. At that time it was not occupied yet, but the Russians had taken the neighbouring village, seven kilometres from us. The shrapnel started coming down, hitting the roofs and the yards. Of course, we were scared and worried about the children, so we decided to leave. Russians occupied Pryiutne village a week after our departure. Today, Russian invaders live in our house. We left everything behind, all the property and possessions. But the most important thing is that everyone is safe and sound,” shared her story Iryna, mother of little Darynka. “In Zaporizhia, we immediately found accommodation at Kozak Palace shelter. We’ve settled in well, but it doesn’t feel like home. We hope that the enemies will be soon forced to abandon our land. Every night I dream of coming back home…”

Overall, 303,000 Ukrainians have already received assistance from the Saving Lives humanitarian project, including food packages, medicines, vitamins, household items and warm clothes.