Volodymyr devoted his entire life to tourism. In his hometown, he didn’t just go on hikes – he passed this passion on to the younger generation, teaching children how to read a map, pitch a tent, and not be afraid of challenges. He regularly posted photos and videos of his hikes with his students on social media – years filled with meaning and activity.
Everything changed when an evacuation was ordered in the village of Pokrovske in the Dnipropetrovsk region due to the safety situation. He was forced to leave behind the possessions he had accumulated over many years and move into a dormitory.
The first winter was the hardest. The cold, the uncertainty, the loss of a job – and the question that wouldn’t go away: how to get back to his life’s work while also providing for himself.
With the arrival of summer, things got a little easier. Volodymyr came up with the idea of starting a tourism club, but he lacked the necessary equipment. The decisive turning point came when he learned about the “MESH: Multisectoral Emergency Assistance to High-Risk Communities” project and decided to participate in it. With the funds he received, he purchased the essential gear – backpacks, tents, and sleeping pads. According to him, this is just the first step: much more is needed to fully resume activities.
However, he isn’t sitting idly by. He has already reached an agreement with the school to establish a hiking club.
“This is an opportunity to earn some extra money and ensure basic needs,” Volodymyr notes.
According to him, properly preparing young hikers for real-world field conditions takes at least three months, so no hikes are planned in the near future. But that doesn’t detract from the main point: a person who has lost almost everything is soon returning to the cause he is truly passionate about.
Aid is provided as part of the “MESH: Multisectoral Emergency Assistance to High-Risk Communities” project by the “Shchedryk” Charitable Organization, coordinated by the “Right to Protection” Charitable Foundation and supported by the Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine (UHF).