Humanitarian aid for media workers: it is important to feel friendly support

The Ukrainian Food Banks Federation recently handed over 50 food packages, balanced according to humanitarian standards, to the Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC) of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) in the front-line Zaporizhzhia Region. They were received by displaced journalists, families of the journalists fighting at the front, media persons accredited to cover hostilities and needy veterans of the Zaporizhzhia mass media.

It is important to feel friendly support during difficult trials or difficulties. Ukrainian journalists felt it. And also – many media people discovered a new word for themselves – FoodBanking, which came into circulation as a result of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

After all, according to the UN report, 17.6 million Ukrainians (55% of Ukrainians permanently living in the country) need humanitarian aid. This is, in essence, every second citizen of Ukraine. In addition, nearly 20% of the total population was forced to become internally displaced and seek shelter and greater security. Among them are Ukrainian journalists, who are cared for by the NUJU‘s JSCs.

In this aggressive war brought to our land by the Russian soldiers, charity grew and crystallized on a vast scale. Among tens of thousands of those who are currently doing good deeds to support their impoverished compatriots, the Ukrainian Food Banks Federation, a charitable foundation engaged in providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainians most affected by the war, takes a worthy place. This is a highly professional team motivated to help.

“I want to express my gratitude to the Ukrainian Food Banks Federation charity fund for their work and journalists’ attention and support in these difficult times. These food sets are really very good,” noted a well-known journalist/current Armed Forces Company Commander, Oleksandr Veriovkin.

“The attention and help the Ukrainian Food Banks Federation provides is very important to us. It is important to feel that we are all together – and everyone is doing their best for the victory. You are on the big front of philanthropy; we are on the information front,” stressed Alla Shamrai, a correspondent of the Na Dotyk radio from Enerhodar (Zaporizhzhia Region).

“We appreciate your sincere help, dear benefactors from the Ukrainian Food Banks Federation. We sincerely thank you for supporting the Zaporizhzhia fighters on the information front. Together – to victory!” said Viyacheslav Tverdokhlib from Mariupol, who constantly works on the front line.

Call the Zaporizhzhia JSC by dialing 096 277 5352 (Nataliya Kuzmenko and Valentyna Manzhura, the co-coordinators of the Zaporizhzhia JSC). The Center’s address is 152 Sobornyi Avenue.

ABOUT JSC

The Journalists’ Solidarity Centers is an initiative of the NUJU implemented with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists and UNESCO. The initiative is designated to help media representatives working in Ukraine during the war. The Centers operate in Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro and provide journalists with organizational, technical, legal, psychological, and other types of assistance.

ABOUT UNESCO

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. UNESCO promotes knowledge sharing and the free flow of ideas to accelerate mutual understanding. It is the coordinator of the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which aims to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, thus strengthening peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide. UNESCO is working closely with its partner organizations in Ukraine to provide support to journalists on the ground.

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this digest do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area or its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this digest and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit to the organization.

Valentyna Bystrova

Photo: Dariya Zyrianova and Alla Shamrai