The following post was written by the Podolian Agency for Regional Development (PARD), a humanitarian aid group providing assistance to internally displaced people in the Vinnytsia region of Ukraine. 

During the month, the whole of Ukraine lives in tension and timelessness - we do not remember what day of the week it is, we have no words for "weekend," "lunch break," or "vacation." We are all just counting the days since the beginning of a full-scale war, waiting to hear that people are alive, and still believe in victory.

During the war, we are uniting our efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the needs of people affected by the war who are staying in Vinnytsia. We took two shelters under our care and signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with two educational institutions in the region. We also help with shelter in the agricultural community.

We are constantly in touch with the shelters' management and aware of the needs they have. Thanks to the cooperation with the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, it was possible to provide shelters with necessary equipment (washing machines, dryers and kitchen equipment) and consumables (washing powder and fabric softener).

Thanks to the joint help, hundreds of people are getting more comfortable living conditions in shelters. And we have positive feedback from people who are in such places.

For example, Olga (name changed to protect personal information) came to Vinnytsia with two children, a four-year-old son and a five-month-old daughter, and is now in one of the shelters. 

“We managed to leave Kyiv when the shell hit a neighboring house. We arrived in Vinnytsia and came here. For the first time in a few weeks, my children and I were able to sleep peacefully," said Olga. "We appreciate the hospitality of Vinnytsia residents and their care. We are glad the shelters are equipped with kitchen utensils and washing machines, which allow us to live here and feel more comfortable. Thank you to everyone who is supporting and helping, to those who did not leave me and many others during the war. "

Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions donated $50,000 from its Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund to PARD earlier this month.