Ukrainian students fight for compatriots as attention for war wanes: 'Doing nothing is not an option'

Sofiia Kukhar is silent. Although she says she is fine, the Ukrainian's eyes and shoulders tell a very different, much sadder story. But no, she says again, she's fine, maybe she's just a little tired. Or frustrated maybe.

Sofiia is 19, a CMGT student at Saxion and from Kyiv. Besides being a student, she is also a fundraiser and she came to SaxNow today to talk about that. She is looking for money, but most of all for attention.

And that's where her frustration lies, as we find out a week later, when she has brought along two fellow students: Taras Gnelytsia (20, International Business, from Zhytomyr) and Maksym Dryhval (22), also from Kyiv, who just graduated in Applied Computer Science at Saxion.

Lost interest?

Together with about 10 fellow students mainly in Western and Northern Europe, they run the Lotus Foundation. The student team has been running that organization since May of last year, aiming to provide their friends on the front lines with anything they might need: helmets, body armor, backpacks, medicine, or even a pickup truck.

But that doesn't come easily. After the invastion last year, the war was visible everywhere, including around them, and also at Saxion. In Enschede there was a complete collection point, and everyone was in an uproar to collect as many things as possible. And at school we talked about the war every day. SaxNow also contributed to that, with our fundraiser for the Ukrainian students. But the noise died down, Sofiia says. "My fellow students and the teachers no longer talk about the war at all. After a year and a half, many people in Europe have lost interest in the war, it seems."

That attention they saw at the beginning of the war, in the news, but also in Enschede, that is gone. That's not a reproach, Maksym observes dryly. "That's how it works."

For them it is different, they are in the middle of it. Maybe not literally, but their friends, former classmates and family are. All of them know people fighting on the front lines, or who have been wounded, or even died.

Sofiia, for example, has an uncle, an IT guy, who has been fighting on the front lines since last May. There he works with drones, among other things. Relief is out of the question, because of his specialized knowledge, his family does not see him. Sofiia has not spoken to him since then, only through messages. "Everyone is exhausted," she says of it. Maksym mentions his classmates from his leadership class after high school. "A lot of them are in the military. Some of them are dead now."

Small steps

"The war is not finished, it is in full swing," Taras says. "Every day still our soldiers are doing their best and taking steps toward freedom. These may seem like small steps, but they are incredibly important. Every meter of terrain costs lives, but it is incredibly important for us to continue to support our soldiers."

And they know how, they say, because they are in direct contact with brigades of the Ukrainian army. So they also know exactly what is needed. To underscore that, Maksym conjures a Ukrainian flag from his bag, bearing the signatures of Ukrainian soldiers and their hometowns. "Actually, every city is on it," he says.

With the Lotus Foundation, they have so far raised almost 500,000 Ukrainian Grivna, about 13,000 euros. They bought all kinds of things for it, on their website you can read exactly what: 34 times tactical equipment (helmets, armor, vests, and so on), 13 times 'operational tools' (thermal cameras, headphones, tactical belts), 32 times 'survival necessities', 33 times clothing and shoes and 16 times humanitarian aid to families through medicine, diapers and clothing. Maksym: "If we manage to save just one soldier, that already has an incredible impact for us."

But that money, they raised mainly through people who donate anyway, who are already connected to their cause. Friends, family, acquaintances. Their own network. But more is needed, much more, because in war there is never enough, they say. In particular, there is a great shortage of tactical equipment. Right now they are raising money for a pickup truck for the "401st Separate Rifle Battalion.

So they are especially trying to bring in donations outside of their own friends and acquaintances. From people who don't donate yet. They do that through meetings, but also by giving something back through "give-aways," says Taras, who isn't an International Business student for nothing. "And we also write to companies, it's very motivating to see them contribute."

Wrap up with bulletproof vest

In addition, to continue calling attention to the advancing war, a campaign reminiscent of Christo is planned, but in a morbid way. Sights in Finland, Estonia and Latvia, for example, will be wrapped with a giant bulletproof vest, with the message "Help Ukraine, stand with Ukraine. The Lotus Foundation wants to do it in the Netherlands as well, or in Enschede, perhaps at het Ei van Ko. "Anything just to draw attention," he said.

As we speak, the air alarm goes off in Enschede. A test, like every first Monday of the month. "So they hear this in Ukraine every day," Maksym says. Sofiia has an app, which allows her to see exactly when there are air raids in Ukraine. "Every time I check right away where it is, if my family is safe. If I'm honest, I'm even more scared here in the Netherlands than I was when I was back in Ukraine for a while."

All say they take motivation from the war precisely for their studies, because that will help later, when their country has to be rebuilt. That Ukraine will win the war is certain for them.

Continue

According to Taras, this attitude marks the Ukrainian people. "Of course we are sad, we cry, but above all we focus on action. We don't let ourselves be lamed. We put all our attention into what we can do, with the Lotus Foundation, into how we can help. We see what Ukraine can become, that Ukraine will be free, because justice always wins. History has proven that."

And only then, a week later, does it become clear why Sofiia was so quiet exactly a week ago. "Then there had just been an air strike on Odessa," she said. Just as well, there were deaths that day in an airstrike on Beryslav, near Cherson. "And so this is every day. And so then I had an interview with you, but just as well I had a presentation for school, while I was so sad. But then I go on anyway."