In the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Relief News Update from Ukraine…
Since the beginning of Russia’s unjust attack on Ukraine, Supreme Master Ching Hai has been supporting Ukraine through Her prayers, blessings, and numerous financial contributions, inspiring our Association members to provide assistance as well. The following is a report that conveys a small portion of our Association’s relief activities carried out in Ukraine and neighboring Poland during July and August 2022. Special focus was given to the children, in an effort to share play activities, love, and laughter to uplift their spirits.
On July 18, the team visited the Brave and Happy refugee center in Lviv, Ukraine. A donation was made to help purchase much-needed washing powder for the center. Coordinator Yulia Grynchuk expressed her appreciation for this. “We very thank the Supreme Master Ching Hai for Your help and Your funding. We are very thankful.”
On July 20, the relief team went to the Vitan Hostel refugee center in Lviv, where 117 people were residing. This center is funded by donations and run by volunteers. The team offered the center a cash donation to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. They also handed out the book, “Love Is the Only Solution,” along with the Ukrainian vegan children’s book, “Hands, Paws, or Hooves.”
On July 23, with help from benevolent Ukrainian locals, two vans full of sleeping bags and mats were delivered to the Kropyvnytskyi hospital for doctors and defenders there, as well as frontline defenders in the Mykolaiv region further south. Both recipients graciously acknowledged the gifts with letters of appreciation.
The team also met with a local vegan activist, Victor Katolyk, and offered a donation to support his work of translating popular vegan documentaries into Ukrainian. Despite what his nation has been enduring, Mr. Katolyk continues his efforts to promote the vegan lifestyle. “We’re trying to return the focus to the vegan agenda so that people understand that both things are about love; so love for animals and love for people, no to war and no to carnism.”
Working together with local vegan businesses, our Association members hosted a vegan event on July 24 at a local park in Lviv, offering free compassionate meals, informative books, and entertainment. Attendees included refugees, local community members and children from an orphanage who were served a vegan meal. The relief team worked in partnership with local Lviv vegan businesses to provide the food, and entertainment was provided for the children.
The relief team was also delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Tamara Human of the organization Every Animal, a Shining World Compassion Award recipient. Every Animal provides free plant-based food in several Ukrainian cities, as well as to over 200 vegan soldiers in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, delivering even to the front lines. A donation of US$5,000, along with some vegan food, was offered to the organization for its praiseworthy food projects. Ms. Human was determined to continue in her service, despite the challenges the country is facing. “I thank You, Supreme Master Ching Hai, for the donation. We know that we have to help animals and humans, and in Every Animal we will do everything for Ukraine to become vegan as much as we can, as effectively as we can. And we will continue our work until every animal is free.”
Furthermore, a member of the relief team traveled to one of Ukraine’s most affected cities, Borodyanka, to send supplies to the Dariya Sayed Foundation. Vegan food such as buckwheat, baby puree, flour, and sunflower oil, as well as diapers and cleaning supplies were provided in addition to a further contribution of US$2,000 for vegan food and gasoline. “I want to thank with the deep of my heart, to Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association for your help as today we made a huge job. Thank you so much, and we are very grateful for your support.”
Later on, the relief team took part in a large festival in Ivan Franko Park, Lviv, where over 10,000 people attended. When individuals learned of our Association and the mission to provide relief in Ukraine, many shed tears.
Meanwhile, on August 1, the relief team bought five pallets of vegan dog-people food for War Animal Care International, an organization that distributes food to animal-people shelters across Ukraine. Co-founder John Hill conveyed his gratitude to Master for this heartwarming gift. “I’d just like to thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her wonderful donation towards the animals in the Ukraine.”
On August 3, the relief team brought 75 vegan gift bags to Mr. Hill, who kindly delivered them to an orphanage in Jaremcze, Ukraine. For individual displaced families in need, the team also sent loving bags of fruits, vegetables, hygiene products and even took a family out for vegan shopping!
In support of the noble vision of the Every Animal organization, our Association members partnered with Ms. Human and City Councilor of Volyn Oblast, the Honorable Alexandr Kulakov, in hosting two 5-day vegan sports camps in the Carpathian Mountains. The 80 young Ukrainians who attended had parents who were either away as defenders, or had passed away during the invasion. The children participated in vegan education, sports activities, excursions into the mountains, art therapy, and dancing. All meals served at the camp were vegan, and all the campers learned about the compassionate vegan lifestyle. At the end of the camp, many children said they wanted to go vegan after learning about the cruelty animal-people endure. “Go Vegan, Make Peace!”
Also, thanks to the Honorable Alexandr Kulakov’s humanitarian aid team, life-saving heart defibrillators donated by our Association members in Hungary were safely transported on August 17 to hospitals in Kurakhove and Selydove in the Donetsk region. “We thank the organization, Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association and you help us a lot, and thank you very much.”
On August 21, the relief team visited the Pidlisne-Ternopil region Home for Elderly People, where 23 elderly refugees reside. The team provided a donation of US$500, which the facility will use to build a vegetable storage area to keep fruits and vegetables fresh throughout the winter.
We express our humble gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her loving care for the affected children, adults, and animal-people in Ukraine. And we thank our international Association members for their ongoing assistance in Ukraine, as well as the international support given to Ukrainian refugees. May we soon achieve World Vegan, World Peace, with global citizens united together in peace and harmony.
