Message from Ukrainian IFIP Member: "We're trying to stay calm and feel inner peace, not to provoke anxiety and hate.” 🇺🇦
To all of our Ukrainian members we convey the support and solidarity of the entire IFIP community. At this very difficult time for the Sovereign democracy of Ukraine – we stand by you.
We have heard from Maryna Zavhorodnia, an IFIP member and middle school teacher in Ukraine who writes bravely from her shelter:
Dear James,
Thank You and the whole community for the support! It's so important to feel we're not alone and the other world knows what is really happing here.
Me and my family are in the shelter.
We're trying to stay calm and feel inner peace, not to provoke anxiety and hate.
Me and my colleagues provide psychological support for those who need it. As I see now, it will be a huge deep trauma for lots of our people. Hope we will be able to handle it.
Thanks again for concerns and support!
With hope for the best,
Maryna
This is a truly inspirational response from Maryna. We have to be in awe of her courage and presence of mind. She provides us with the true and only response to war when she says, “We're trying to stay calm and feel inner peace, not to provoke anxiety and hate.”
As an inclusion lead she is providing psychological support to her community and alerts us to the ‘huge deep trauma’ for lots of Ukrainians, especially the children.
Members of the IFIP community pledge allegiance, fellowship, advocacy and succour to all of the people currently suffering in Ukraine. We stand by you.
We also signpost everyone interested in helping to the following charities:
- British-Ukrainian Aid - Supports people who are the victims of war by providing medical aid.
- Razom for Ukraine - Delivers essential goods including medical supplies.
- Sunflower of Peace - Provides medical backpacks for paramedics and doctors.
- United Help Ukraine - It aims to "prepare humanitarian aid to civilians that might be directly affected if Russian forces attack".
- UNICEF – Donate to protect children in Ukraine.