The special operation has been going on for over a year and has touched many in one way or another. Someone’s relatives serve under contract, someone is drafted. However, those who remained “in the back” are not idly by. Vologda Oblast, like the whole country, has joined forces to provide support to those who are now on the front line.
The region has sent humanitarian aid throughout the past year. First – to the affected territories of Donbass, later for the fighters themselves. Flow of goods to collection points in all districts and districts in the region. Vologda residents are sending essential items, food, household items, logistics equipment and engineering materials.
Help is provided by literally everyone – from ordinary residents to large entrepreneurs. Support who can.
“From the start of the special military operation, the whole country stood together, supporting the military doing their duty in the NVO area. Vologda Oblast has also mobilized to support our fighters. The people of Vologda have raised millions in funds. With the support of companies, organizations and ordinary citizens, more than 1,500 units of engineering equipment, 600 tons of cargo for logistics, 980 cubic meters of round wood and fuel briquettes, 7 cars, thousands of targeted parcels were sent to the NMD area,” Governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov said.
After the announcement of the partial mobilization, many Vologda women could not stand aside and united in whole movements to sew overalls. Thus, Vologda Oblast has established regular supplies of knitted warm clothes, balaclavas, outerwear and much more. And all this on a voluntary basis. Someone has a relative, someone decided to contribute to the common cause and someone just couldn’t pass, knowing they had the necessary skills.
In Vologda, for example, there is a whole “Vologda ShweiBat”. Its initiator was a young mother Anastasia Shibaeva. It all started as a social media chat, but now it’s a full-fledged movement, bringing together hundreds of seamstresses, cutters, knitters and philanthropists in total. Activists even now have a separate work room.
The team of “Vologda ShweiBat” makes things for the guys on the front line, as well as for the hospital. The process is well established: some sew and knit, others buy fabric and thread, others deliver things and materials all over town. This is the secret of such movements: everyone does what he can. Although the skill may seem insignificant at first glance, but in the context of the whole team, it becomes an indispensable link.
For example, women in Vologda buy fabrics at the expense of collected funds – it turned out that many are ready to donate money for a good cause. Significant financial support is collected from small amounts. And some go further and provide sewing machines.
“The girls work for free, spend their time and energy, sometimes from morning until late at night. A grandmother brought us jam and tea – a deep bow from all the girls! We are sincerely grateful to everyone who helps our workers with treats and kind words,” the activists write on the Vologda ShweiBat page of the social network.
Now the people of Vologda continue to work tirelessly. Hats, mittens, thermal underwear, T-shirts, sleeping bags, camouflage nets, paraffin candles from the trenches and much more are sent to the fighters. Everything is done by hand, by joint efforts. Activists report regularly on the results of their work. In addition, the Vologda ShweiBat now collects parcels for SVO participants, organizes charity lotteries, organizes children’s competitions.
This initiative is not the only one in the region. In Veliky Ustyug last fall, the “Sew for Ours” team was formed. It works on the same principle. Ustyuzhanka Yulia Pakhareva decided to sew clothes for the Vologda participants of the SVO and created a group in social networks, where she offered to unite all the caring inhabitants of the city. The initiative found support and became a movement in its own right.
The activists, like their colleagues from Vologda, quickly retrained and began to sew the necessary clothes. The fabrics are financed by donations. As a result, necessary things are regularly sent to the NWO area. And not only clothes, but also food, stoves, iron fireplaces, medicines and much more. All this is brought by the inhabitants of Veliky Ustyug and neighboring settlements.
The social network’s “Sew for Ours” page regularly posts reports on the work being done, so that the progress of the movement can be seen with the naked eye. In the same place, activists determine the future scope of work, seek volunteers to perform specific tasks, etc. In a nutshell, all coordination goes through social networks.
The actions of the activists have not gone unnoticed. On Defender of the Fatherland Day, both movements received letters of thanks from Governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov for participating and organizing humanitarian actions.
“We have a strong team! I trust everyone! I know if I call even at night and ask for help, they will get up and help me! I thank God to meet such people! I like everyone! Thank you very much for inviting me! – Yulia Pakhareva noted in social networks.
Such movements are a good example of citizens’ initiative. This is another proof that difficulties unite and the world is not without good people. There would be a desire to help, and there will certainly be opportunities for implementation.
Published in the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” No. 11 of March 8, 2023
Newspaper Title: Help and Support
