Now that the war in Ukraine has started, well-known organizations are aiding gangs in the Netherlands. In this way, the Refugee Foundation and the Red Cross saved 1.5 million euros in one day for aid to Ukraine. There are also Dutch people who feel called to set up something themselves, to demonstrate or to reflect on Ukraine in some other way. A selection of the different actions.

‘My call to help’

“It is my call to help. I am there with my thoughts,” says Angelina Kucheruk from Rotterdam. With her organization “Ukrainian Community in the Netherlands” she already arranges a number of humanitarian aid for Ukraine. In recent days she has been busy collecting medical supplies to be transported to her native country.

Kucheruk’s brother still lives in Ukraine and goes for his country. “The war is whole for me,” she says. “I want to do everything here, from the Netherlands, to help. Our organization is of course not that big, for example the Red Cross, we are small. But that does not matter, we do what we can.”

The 64-year-old Kucheruk receives donations from Dutch organizations, and many apps and other statements of support from Dutch friends. “Everyone sympathizes. It’s a nice feeling that you are not alone.”

Truckers hand out packages

Truck driver Aschwin Cannoo wants to “support” his Ukrainian colleagues in the Netherlands. “And they can also with family who are there, they can hardly contact”, Cannoo it NOS Radio 1 News.

He learned about the situation of Ukrainian truck drivers through a friend. “So I thought, wait a minute, those are our colleagues. We have to do something.”

He is organizing an aid campaign in the De Poppe parking lot, near Oldenzaal: food parcels with bread, water and orange are delivered. Self caters for large meals. “Power foods, such as pasta. Food they can live on for a long time.”

The volunteers hear harrowing stories from the drivers: