With thousands of euros to Ukraine, to then convert that amount into food parcels. This week, Henk Pruim and Cor Verkade will leave for the west of the country with a group of volunteers from the Assen for Ukraine organization to provide the village of Barkasovo with groceries.
The foundation has been committed to the local community in the town of Barkasovo for more than ten years. For example, they already built a school there and sent food with relief transports. But the latter has become too complicated since the outbreak of the war. “The rules are becoming stricter about taking things there. We are now focusing more on money,” says Pruim in the RTV Drenthe program Cassata.
That is why the foundation set up a donation campaign and raised 13,000 euros. “Drenthe thanks,” says Verkade. “Through money we can help in a much more targeted way and we can support the local economy there. So we are now going there with money and doing a lot of shopping there,” his partner Pruim explains.
The food packages are therefore purchased in Ukraine. “We go to the wholesaler there and then say: ‘So many mud potatoes, macaroni, rice’.” The recipients of the food packages also receive live chickens. “Our contact person there has a barn full of chickens. The Party of the Animals will not be very happy about it, but the people who have no food will be very happy that they have something in their stomachs again.”
Although the village is not located in a direct conflict area, the need is also great in western Ukraine. “If your husband is at the front and not working, you have no money to buy food. In addition, prices go up, then you are already 2-0 behind.”
Now that the war in Ukraine has been going on for almost two years, living conditions in the village are deteriorating. The messages are therefore welcomed with open arms. “They are really happy when we come. At the end they drive away with a stroller that can still move, full of things. Then they bump each other, saying ‘wow’,” says Verkade. “This is very rewarding work,” Pruim adds. We bring something there, but you also get something there. The satisfaction, the gratitude you get. That only gives motivation to continue.”