After the Russian occupiers entered Saltiv, we stopped our trips because the Russian military demanded we bring bread to them as well. But the people of Saltiv needed food. So, we quietly began collecting food from the villages. Khotimlya - milk, meat, apples. Hontarivka - flour, cereals, meat, milk, sugar, butter.

Then the shelling, the death of Halyna Severynivna Kursachova, the shooting at Kovalyov, and then the "good people" informed the Russians about us... It was all too much to take in... It was very difficult psychologically to see...

I understood that if I was to do something for the residents of our community on my own initiative, this "something" should bring joy, goodness, and faith in the possibility of dreams coming true.

And that's what happened. With each passing day, month, and year, our NGO "Good Deeds" team became stronger. We were constantly learning (thanks to DOBRE for the opportunities), coming up with ideas, dreaming of big and small projects. Each of us tried to support one another in implementing any idea, and this gave us even more inspiration.

On February 24 at 4 am, I stood in slippers and a blanket on the terrace, watching the sky burn ahead, behind the Donets, to the left, and behind me. I listened to the battle. I wasn't scared. I thought - this just can't be happening.

That morning, I was already standing in a small crowd near the village council, hoping to get any information. To understand how to react to all this. And then you know. For the first week, we went to the village council like going to work because pre-war quarrels with the authorities were not the priority. We needed to come together and somehow provide for those who couldn't cope on their own.

...maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe not, but I'm still glad about it. Regarding the desire to organize some events, it has always been there for me. But it's important who you do it with!
Here, I was lucky with the team of the NGO. It still doesn't fit in my head how such completely different people can come to an agreement and do something together! Doing something meaningful for the soul is what the NGO is to me.
I can't say that after February 24 it was for the soul - no, probably actions aimed at not becoming empty and not falling physically. When in the summer and autumn I spent most of the day on the phone and computer looking for help for the community, gathering data, and forming lists for aid distribution, there was no time to lose spirit and cry over the burned house.
What are my thoughts for the future?...only forward and don't stop. My family and I have already drawn up a plan for a new house in the same place where the previous one burned down. We want to continue living in this great place, next to kind, humane, and friendly fellow villagers (I hope the war has taught everyone to help each other and appreciate what we have).
I see countless opportunities for our region ahead, but for now, everyone needs to wipe away the tears, roll up their sleeves, and start building a new future.

I was impressed and inspired by these brave people who defended their position and view on certain issues in front of the community leadership. Writing the application for membership in the organization, I had high hopes for new projects that would stimulate self-development, cooperation with like-minded people, communication with the population, with people I had grown so accustomed to working with over a long time.
And we did make one cool project. We celebrated New Year with the whole community. We prepared a wonderful event for children and adults, with tea, songs, and dances. And then we dreamed of new projects, events....
But February 24, 2022, divided our lives into "BEFORE."
Why do I only write "BEFORE"? Because "AFTER" has not yet come. We are frozen in anticipation. Right now, maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I'll open Facebook, Telegram, or something else and see the main long-awaited news.... Victory! OUR VICTORY! We got rid of the awkward neighbor!!!
But for now, it's a harsh reality.
Now my role in the NGO is somewhat on the sidelines, I have to devote all my time to my family, children, and there is almost no time for public affairs. Therefore, I feel slightly unengaged in the organization.
As long as I can remember, I was always ready to run ahead of everyone, moving mountains, helping someone. But perhaps right now is the time when I need help myself. And I get it. And I thank the brave, beautiful, and resilient girls from my "Good Deeds"!
What each of us has experienced and continues to experience every day will stay with us. With deep respect, I relate to those who, not fearing enormous responsibility, took on the burden of providing the community with survival means. To those who searched and found, wanted and did, to those who held themselves in gentle female hands, did not get lost, and continued to implement project after project.
Congratulations to you, girls! The birthday of the NGO is your holiday!
And plans.....for now, there's only one plan. Survive.

Yanina met me in the center and said that a meeting was planned to create an NGO. I knew Yanina very little. I knew her as the hostess of a wonderful bathhouse and mini-hotel, a hospitable, cheerful, hardworking woman with a broad outlook, interesting ideas, and an atypical view of life for Saltivians.)
Considering myself a socially active person, I went to the meeting at the cultural center. It was the end of 2017. At the meeting, Yanina talked about the work of the NGO, about transformations, about opportunities, and how to achieve better results...
And I sat and thought that I didn't understand what this was about and what I had to do with it, but it was interesting. I caught myself thinking - "is this really possible?)".
And of course, the thought of being able to make the world around me better warmed my soul. I resolutely wrote an application to join "Good Deeds".
Here, slowly but surely, my life began to change.
The girls took on small projects, and I was a small part of them, playing my small role. It became more and more interesting for me. I began to delve into the details of the projects. I met wonderful, interesting, intelligent people (V. Filenko, M. Tishchenko, O.V. Kulinich..). I attended training sessions, traveled for exchanges of experience, was interested in grant applications, and opportunities to improve life in our community.
What did I do? In the project
"Bike Ride" I was in the fitness group.
"Saltiv Fest" - I was involved in the bride parade (which was a huge success!)
"Youth Entrepreneurship" -
I traveled with a group of children to Georgia,
Project "Clean Saltiv" - participated in waste sorting training, traveled with the girls to the villages to convince and teach people to sort waste.
As you learn and improve yourself, the world around you becomes better.
During the war, the NGO came together and was engaged in logistics and distribution of food, medicine, and hygiene products. I helped with the distribution of bread and meat, which had to be bought from farmers, dissolved, packaged, partly sold, and distributed to those who couldn't buy it.
I left my home at the end of March (with heavy thoughts and despair). We moved to another city. It was difficult. But the skills gained in the NGO came in handy. I applied for a mini-grant for self-employment and won it. Now I have a sweet hobby - making homemade marshmallows.
When I came to Kharkiv, I helped distribute humanitarian aid to Saltivians who had to flee to the city to escape the shelling.
Since October 2022, I have returned to my native Saltiv. I don't sit idle for a single day. Thanks to the iron ladies of the NGO, we have gathered again and started helping the residents of the TG.
We work a lot with other NGOs, grant providers, donors, volunteers, the press, and simply caring people who want to help. We have set up a help center in the Saltiv DK.
Since then, from 10:00 to 15:00 every day (with flexible days off), I can be found at the Starosaltivsky DK. We volunteer - we help with both words and deeds)
I am very lucky to love what I do and to do what I love! ...meeting a Great person once...

When in 2015 I moved to Staryi Saltiv for work, I got to know the residents of the village, their problems, and their dreams.
I realized that I didn't want to stand aside and wanted to help people. I learned about a group of girls who were engaged in charity work and improved the well-being of our village.
Having familiarized myself with their activities, I decided that I wanted to join them. So, I joined the NGO "Good Deeds".
Before the war, with the NGO members, we wrote applications for grant competitions for improvement, planned various events, and organized children's holidays. We also planned to address the issue of extracurricular activities for children and teenagers.
But on 24.02.2022, our lives were turned upside down. And there was only one question - how do we survive with the residents of our community. We began to actively provide vulnerable categories of people with essential items, as much as we could.
After the occupation and 5 months of shelling