A GLASGOW international aid charity has helped 300 Ukrainian orphans to safety during 100 days of the conflict with Russia.
Glasgow The Caring City launched an immediate response following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24. And now as a milestone 100th day is marked, the charity boss Ross Galbraith has revealed how fellow volunteers' lives have been lost and the grim reality they face.
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Since the start of the conflict, Glasgow the Caring City has delivered and managed:
- 206,808 days-worth of food provision
- 350+ tonnes of frontline humanitarian aid
- 14 trucks of aid sent from Scotland to Poland/Ukraine, with a further two on the road at present
- The support of 300+ unaccompanied children from Ukraine in Poland
- A distribution network in 28 areas of Ukraine
The charity, which was founded in 1999, has also suffered the sad loss of 11 volunteers from local partner organisations, killed in action. And a plea for help to recover the bodies of fellow volunteers, reduced charity chief Ross Galbraith to tears.
Food has been key throughout the 100 days and food security is a concern at present with people now desperate for food. Medical supplies are also critical - in particular, specialist drugs for diabetes, cancer and asthma seem to be high on the needs lists.
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Glasgow The Caring City Operations Director Mr Galbraith said: “Right back at the beginning of this conflict people rushed to ship aid which wasn’t always fit for purpose and created logistical difficulties for organized aid agencies to rapidly respond. Now that level of well-intentioned support has eased off, access routes for customs and logistics have opened up somewhat but the new challenge we face is both the lack of public/corporate donations and the skyrocketing price of moving aid from A to B."
He said 100 days into this conflict, what is laid bare for all to see is the fragility of human life within the borders of Europe.
"I have now spent a significant amount of time in Ukraine and the thing which keeps coming to mind in the quieter moments is that 10 years ago, this country hosted the European Football Championships," he said. "We are not talking about a regional backwater somewhere on distant shores, this is a Ukraine, a major nation at the heart of Europe and to be brutally honest, there will be many a stag party or weekend city-breaker who has travelled here or to a place nearby reading this article and not realizing just how close modern warfare has come to areas which they regard as safe, fun and good for a nice weekend away.
“Technology and communications have brought this war into the palm of our hand, both in terms of citizen reporters over in the conflict areas but also in the way we, the public, receive and access uncensored information from sources such as social media.
"I will never forget one evening sitting with my family for dinner and a ping on my phone from one of our partners over in Ukraine brought the words ‘Help. We Need Body Bags Urgently’ followed by a stream of images featuring the bodies of innocent people, some of them volunteers with our partner charities, laying on the roadside. I don’t say this for effect; I cried. Similar images and messages arrived day after day from our teams in Ukraine for what felt like weeks. For the people sending the messages, they were documenting the horrors of war as best they could to preserve evidence and raise awareness."
Mr Galbraith said there are many positive stories of hope in amongst the gloom.
He added: "It’s been inspiring seeing the way local people in both Poland and Ukraine have come together to form mutual aid groups such as Wroclaw Pomaga, gathering aid from around Europe and sending those resources forward to the most entrenched areas of the war across Ukraine. People empowered to take action to help their neighbours. It is an indication of the strength of spirit across Europe. Worthy of mention too is the way the Polish community here in Scotland has rallied to support their nation. Everything from warehousing in Glasgow, to donated aid, vans and trucks running back to Poland. The way they have mobilised has been incredible.
“On behalf of Glasgow the Caring City, I must thank each and every business and person who has supported our efforts during these 100 days and hope we can count on their backing again in the difficult and challenging weeks and months ahead.”
If any organisations can support the charity email info@glasgowthecaringcity.com
Donations can continue to be made to charity’s JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/campaign/glasgow4ukraine
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