Children abandoned near the war zone in Ukraine

Together with my friends I have been helping the children abandoned near the war zone in Ukraine who have been brought to the pediatrics department at the hospital in Kramatorsk.

Many times I have brought them pampers, food, medicines, and other supplies. The supervisor of the department has become a dear friend of mine, as have all the children. I have made many new friends in Kramatorsk and abroad who have joined in this good effort to help the children. Imprudent mothers abandoned these children like trash, and moved on. Some of the children’s mothers died in childbirth, like the three-month-old baby who doesn’t have a name. I still remember the phone call I received: “Maksym, Sir, we have a little boy whose mother died, he has liver disease, we urgently need medicines to treat him. I’ve bought some with my own money but that isn’t enough.” We put up a notice in social networks and good people responded by bringing medicines for the sick little boy.

From the moment one helps a child one becomes a lifelong volunteer. It’s the personal contact with children who are victims of neglect that creates this ‘volunteer’s love’ and leads to an awareness of what are the needs of the little angels. I appeal to all caring people who can to please help by coming to visit these children, to share their warmth and compassion. Presently in the hospital there are 2 abandoned children under the age of 2. In a couple of months they will be placed in orphanages. It is sad to think that more abandoned children will replace them.

The lack of pediatricians, pediatric nurses and aides adds to our problems. We lack people who could read stories to the children, play games with them. This is the age when children need social interaction most, and that void in their lives is catastrophic for their development.

The nurses are overworked with all the other patients in the hospital and have little energy left for the little ones. Thus we have decided, together with the active youth (Vilna Khata) of Kramatorsk to start a volunteer ‘children’s’ watch’ by scheduling the members of this group to spend time with the toddlers. Right now we are looking for volunteers who are creative and whose good state of health is certified by a health professional.

We are also looking for new mattresses for the children and good baby skin cream.

Please call us at +38 099 140 50 29 or contact us at liberiliberati@gmail.com

Respectfully, Maskym Potapchuk, director at LiberiLiberati.

Glory to Ukraine!

Original article in Ukrainian is available on empr.media/ru.

EMPR, O. R. contributed to this publication

EMPR provides informational support to LiberiLiberati initiative.