Connect. Support. Succeed. Debrief & Repeat.

Dec 5 - International Volunteer Day

Dec 06, 2022

When the volunteers of the newly formed Mriya Tech and Trident Aid came together to create Mriya Aid in early March 2022, they were working toward common goal - to leverage a volunteer network of experts in logistics, defense & security, and procurement to help Ukrainians defend themselves from the illegal and immoral invasion by Russia.

Today, dozens of Mriya Aid volunteers join the world in celebrating International Volunteer Day. It is a fitting recognition of so many millions working tirelessly for others. Today, volunteers reflect on work completed and anticipate the work to come.

The need in Ukraine is vast and the work intense. Earlier in 2022, Mriya Aid volunteers realized that it was imperative to specialize in limited, carefully chosen areas - particularly those which traditional organizations and communities were often unable to readily tackle. The working context in which NGOs and volunteers helping Ukraine found themselves this year was like nothing the world had seen since WW2.

To date, Mriya Aid has sent well over $4M of aid to Ukraine. A sampling of our current projects & upcoming aid includes:

EOD - Explosives Ordnance Disposal - $50,500

International Mines Action Standards (IMAS) Levels 1 & 2 demining training course for non-commissioned officers (NCOs) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
IMAS Level 3 course to become trainers; for those who completed IMAS EOD L2
21 Nov to 16 Dec, at the Mine Action Training centre in Kosovo
In partnership with Friends of Ukraine EOD

CAT - Combat Action Tourniquets - $38,560

1205 CATs being procured and sent to Ukraine
2175 already sent this spring & summer, including 1175 Individual 1st Aid Kits (IFAKs) donated by Mriya Aid volunteers

Humanitarian aid being shipped

winter clothes, winter kit
hospital equipment and materials
over $2M already sent

DRONES & other equipment - details coming soon

some big news to be shared soon!
over $1M commercial & military ISR drones already sent

Volunteers work tirelessly at every step of the fundraising, procurement, logistics, and distribution chains. This results in connection, success and bringing Ukraine closer to victory - to expelling the Russian invasion.

Mriya Aid is committed to being a 100% volunteer-run not-for-profit organization and to ensure that donors’ generosity goes directly to those on the frontlines working for the defense, survivial and freedom of Ukraine and of democracy in the world.

This means zero overhead and no administrative costs.
This means transparency in financials and communications.
This is possible through a positive, respectful, and collaborative work environment, a strict code of conduct & a conflict of interest and ethics protocol.
This means working in strict accordance with financial & import/export regualtions in all countries.
This means working wisely and efficiently with other NGOs and volunteers across contexts.

In addition to Mriya Aid’s expertise in logistics and networking, our volunteer time invested in connecting, communicating and collaborating with other NGOs has helped streamline processes, prevent doubling of services, and avoid potential problems and trouble experienced by others.

In March 2022, President Zelenskyy stated that Russia “will never be able to dstroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state.” Today, celebrating International Volunteer Day, Zelenskyy identified volunteers as the most powerful element of the civil society that Ukraine has been actively building since 2014 and that the world contributes to in 2022. The work of all of the volunteers across the globe contributes to civil society in Ukraine and in all freedom-loving countries and caring communities.

Slava Ukraini!