Five new ways to support Ukraine

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When Ukraine was invaded in February last year, experts predicted that the nation would be overwhelmed by Russian forces in a matter of weeks. The Ukrainians have defied the odds, but at a cost. In addition to the thousands of lives lost, more than a million homes have been destroyed, along with cultural treasures such as the monumental Soviet classicist theater in Mariupol. This month nearly 40,000 tons of grain was damaged in an attack on the port city of Izmail. Established organizations, including British Red Cross and President Zelenskyy UNITED24 they are providing medical assistance and military support; but engineers, psychologists and dancers are also doing their bit. From mobile bakeries to modular homes, here are some of the latest fundraising initiatives.

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Baking for Ukraine

No Ukrainian welcome is complete without bread, and in the midst of a food crisis, UkraineThe bakery culture of has never been more important. Bake for Ukraine provides funds and equipment to independent bakeries that feed troops and people in need, many of which use traditional recipes, local produce and sustainable methods.

Recent efforts include replacing an oven in a Kherson store after a rocket attack and purchasing a mobile bakery to deliver bread to remote areas. The charity also encourages foreign bakeries to make palyanytsya, a round white bread so quintessentially Ukrainian that its name has been used as a shibboleth to detect Russian spies, and donate the proceeds. Hackney’s e5 Bakehouse is just one of the places where you can find them. bakeforukraine.org

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A design fair celebrating Ukrainian creators

A play on UA, Ukraine’s country code, I Am U Are brings the best of Ukrainian furniture, jewelry, fashion and technology to the US after last year’s inaugural event Attracting thousands of visitors, the organization launched an online platform where shoppers can choose from traditional handcrafted pottery, woolen rugs from the mountain town of Kosiv, and jewelry concealing solid, nature-inspired perfumes.

A percentage of the profits goes to platform operations, but the majority goes directly to the sellers. The next trade show, which places a greater emphasis on technology, touches down in Los Angeles this December with 120 vendors and an array of panel discussions. In the meantime, a pop-up opens at Public Records NYC next month. iamuare.mundo

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Virtual tickets to help rebuild the galleries

Wondering how to support her Ukrainian neighbors, Tatiana Fokina, the Russian CEO of the Hedonism wine group, landed on an idea popularized during the pandemic. Save the Spot allows people to purchase “tickets” for closed cultural institutions, with all funds directly supporting their maintenance and rebuilding efforts. The beneficiary galleries, theaters and libraries, each verified by the charity’s partners in Ukraine, range from regional archives such as the Ivankiv Museum of Local and Historical History to Vasyl Tarnovsky’s Chernihiv Historical Museum, which contains more than 170,000 artifacts. savethespot.org

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A collection of “balletcore” supporting kyiv dance students

At the kyiv State Choreographic College, 210 young students are still honing their craft. The war broke out while major repairs were underway at the university, leaving the dancers live on campus who need heating and insulation. With state aid directed elsewhere, principal dancer Kateryna Kukhar created Revival of KSBC, a charitable trust to help finish the restoration. Kukhar has recently collaborated with Ukrainian label Cabanchi on a “balletcore” collection of jumpsuits, hoodies and headbands; 10 percent of sales will go to the university as part of an ongoing partnership. Make a donation to the kyiv State College of Choreography at send.monobank.ua. Shop the Cabanchi x K Kukhar collection at cabanchi.com

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A mountain therapy camp for children

Recognizing the trauma faced by children in Ukraine, fashion designer Oksana Lebedeva founded Gen.Ukrainian to help provide emotional support. Backed by psychologists and Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, Gen.Camp offers free, science-based therapies, including music therapy and art activities, for children away from the air-raid sirens. In 2023, the camp moved from Spain to the Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, where it will provide year-round rehabilitation for more than 300 children. genukrainian.com.ua

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And one last thing… a commercial initiative with a new proposal for social housing

Engineers Alex Stepura and Oleg Pogonyshev experienced firsthand the need to quickly produce low-cost accommodation when their employees’ homes in kyiv were destroyed. On the back of a napkin, they developed a fully modular home that can be built 99 percent faster than a typical house, using one-third the energy. Under the name HOMErs, they now sell fully furnished houses with central heating and running water for £14,500. The brand currently produces 10 to 15 homes each month, hoping to expand production when a new plant opens in Slovakia next year. homers-global.com