A Scottish charity has delivered hundreds of gifts to children in Ukraine who are living in the midst of a war that has entered its third winter. The charity, called Aid Convoy, collected donations from schools, churches, and individuals across Scotland and transported them to the eastern region of Donbass, where a conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists has been raging since 2014.
A gesture of kindness and solidarity
The gifts, which included toys, clothes, books, and toiletries, were wrapped in festive paper and labelled with the names and ages of the recipients. The charity said that the aim of the project was to show the children that they are not forgotten and that people in Scotland care about them.
John McLean, the founder and director of Aid Convoy, said that the gifts were a gesture of kindness and solidarity to the children who have suffered so much from the war. He said that many of the children have lost their homes, their schools, and their loved ones, and that some of them have been injured or traumatised by the violence.
He said that the gifts were a way of bringing some joy and hope to their lives, especially during the winter, when the temperatures can drop below -20 degrees Celsius and the humanitarian situation can worsen. He said that the gifts were also a way of expressing gratitude to the local partners and volunteers who have been helping the charity to distribute aid and provide support to the affected communities.
A long-term commitment to help the people of Ukraine
Aid Convoy is a Scottish charity that was established in 2013 to provide humanitarian assistance to people in crisis situations around the world. The charity has been working in Ukraine since 2015, when it sent its first convoy of aid to the war-torn country.
Since then, the charity has delivered more than 200 tonnes of aid, including food, water, medicine, hygiene items, blankets, and winter clothing, to the people of Donbass. The charity has also funded projects such as repairing damaged schools, installing water filters, providing psychological counselling, and supporting disabled and elderly people.
The charity said that it is committed to helping the people of Ukraine for as long as the conflict lasts and beyond. It said that it hopes that the gifts will not only brighten the children’s Christmas, but also inspire them to believe in a better future.
A call for more support and awareness
The charity also called for more support and awareness from the international community and the public about the situation in Ukraine. It said that the war in Donbass is one of the most forgotten and underreported conflicts in the world, despite being the deadliest in Europe since the Balkan wars in the 1990s.
According to the United Nations, more than 13,000 people have been killed and more than 40,000 injured since the conflict began. More than 3.4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 1.4 million people have been displaced. The charity said that the war has also caused widespread damage to the infrastructure, environment, and economy of the region, and that the Covid-19 pandemic has added to the challenges and risks faced by the people.
The charity urged the public to donate, volunteer, or raise awareness about the plight of the people of Ukraine, and to pressure the governments and the parties involved to end the violence and find a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict.
