“I cannot just sit and watch how the occupiers destroy the Ukrainian people. My heart aches for everyone”, – a volunteer from Yavoriv region
Stories that inspire. More than 2,000 trench candles, production of camouflage nets, dozens of own parcels for the Armed Forces. A resident of the Yavoriv district about life during the Russian war in Ukraine.
The Yavoriv District State Administration continues the column “Inspiring Stories”, where we tell about the residents of the Yavoriv District who, in a difficult time for the country, did not fold their hands, did not stand aside, but continued to work for a common goal – the victory of Ukraine.
Today, our story is about a resident of the Mostysk community, Ivanna Husyak-Denysyk from the village of Meleshki. Mrs. Ivanna is a very creative and active person, likes to sing, writes poems. Today, Ivanna is a member of the vocal group “Vysyvanka” in Mostyshchyna. He always participates in creative activities of the community and prepares his own collection of poems “The Power of the Pen” for publication. The collection contains many poems about the war, some of them were previously posted on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine in the “Poetry of the Free” section. For example, one of the poems was written during volunteer activities, when I was making trench candles “I don’t want this winter”.
I don’t want this winter
And snow in the frosty slings,
Because in the bloody heat of war,
Our boys are freezing in the trenches.
The cold dugout is barely graying,
There, only the trench candle saves,
Raw camouflage is no longer warm,
Where only God hears their prayers.
Where the distance with the enemy is zero,
Where are the heroes like in hell on earth,
Save them, my God, from the bullets,
Please return them home.
As Ms. Ivanna says: “February 2022 changed the lives of each of us. My heart ached with pain for the injustice and actions of Russia towards the Ukrainian people. Realizing that I will not sit around, I started looking for ways to be useful on the ground and help Ukraine in difficult times of a full-scale war with Russian evil. In the beginning, there was no such information about volunteering needs. People themselves looked for where and what they could be needed. At first, I helped the internally displaced. With the whole village, we met them, looked for shelter, helped with food. Everyone on their own, and later through public and charitable organizations, the elders recognized where they needed help and responded,” says a female volunteer.
Since last September, Ivanna Husiak-Denysyk started making trench candles, as she saw a great need for them. Over the entire period, the volunteer sent more than 2,000 trench candles to the front lines. She bought the materials for them herself, later she was joined by her colleague Iryna, also a member of the “Vysyvanka” collective.
“After helping displaced people, I had the idea to make trench candles. Often scrolling through the news feed on Facebook, I saw a great need for them. The first period was difficult with materials. Together with her friend Tatyana, they bought the materials on their own. Later, my friend Iryna joined my initiative, we collected materials and made them at her home. In that period, we managed to produce 50-100 trench candles per day. Everything depended on the amount of materials. The most we managed to make was 225 candles in one evening,” says the volunteer
According to a resident of the village of Meleshki, they watched a master class on making trench candles on the Internet, because it didn’t always work out. Having already made candles, they took addresses from volunteers and sent them to the front line in various points of hostilities. The greatest need was for cans. I made videos and photos on my page in social networks, and over time, friends and caring fellow villagers began to join in the purchase of paraffin.
Since May of this year, a female volunteer has started making camouflage nets for defenders. The headquarters of the work became the People’s House of the village. The entire “Vysyvanka” team joined the initiative. Materials for production are taken from volunteers from Mostyshchyna. In a week, they managed to make a camouflage net measuring 10 by 6 meters.
“When the need for trench candles decreased, I decided to organize a headquarters for the production of camouflage nets. The materials for their production were taken from the Mostyshchyna Volunteer Center. Our entire “Vysyvanka” team joined in the help. When the girls heard about the need, they immediately came to help. In three days, we wove a net of 10 by 6 meters. And so every day we gather in the evening and do small things for a big victory.
Daily volunteer work does not give an opportunity to think about the bad. This motivates me to move forward, unite and help those who need it most now – our brave Armed Forces. Most of all, I want peace for my country and victory. Thank you, defenders, for the fact that you are heroically guarding our borders. May the Lord God protect you. And also, I want to express my gratitude to all the people who supported and helped me. The world is not without good people, and I believe that this good will definitely win”, – adds Ivanna Husiak-Denysyk