Water For Ukraine
We felt anxious waiting in the rain at the Poland/Ukraine border for our partners to come across. Semi-trucks were lined up for ten miles on both sides of the border waiting several days to cross. The only way into the Ukraine was to leave our vehicle in an empty field turned parking lot and walk across the border into Ukranian territory.
Global Access traveled with Global Health Initiatives (GHI) who requested we meet with the Director and Administrators of Clinica Angelia in Kyiv to build a safe drinking water program. This will be a doctor led program to maximize health benefits.
GHI began working with Clinica Angelia in 2019. During the first few months of the war, Communications with Clinica Angelia were sporadic. GHI was able to glean enough information to know that the staff were safe, and most had relocated to distant facilities. Their first concern was to provide food and supplies to the people still living in Kiev. GHI and its partners enabled the Clinic to purchase and rehab two vehicles to serve as mobile clinics.
On October 4, 2022, Clinica Angelia received an award from the Ukrainian Parliament in recognition of their dedicated services to the Ukrainian nation. We are proud to be working with such a passionate and committed organization.
After a wait at the border, we were relieved to see the smiling faces of the Ukrainian team. We walked through the checkpoints into Ukraine and then drove for several hours to the City of Lviv, Ukraine. During the drive we had time to talk about how everything has changed over the past several months. They are sad and angry at what has occurred in their country. They have suffered tremendously and lost family members and friends; but they are very courageous and will never give up.
Lviv is a beautiful, old, and vibrant city. There is a lot of positive energy; people were out in cafes and shops, and you could hear people discussing this horrible, unprovoked invasion by Russia. We saw huge support for the war effort and military: Ukrainian flags flying everywhere on homes and commercial buildings.
Elsewhere, the infrastructure has been destroyed and the need for access to safe drinking water is enormous.
We delivered supplies and trained the staff on how to assemble and maintain the Global Access Water Filter Systems. They will implement the filters in homes prioritizing conditions and health needs. These systems will keep many people who are living in areas where the water is contaminated, healthy and alive. Each filter will last three years while the rebuilding takes place.
The Ukrainians currently need thousands of water filters. Global Access 2030 (GA2030), along with Global Health Initiatives (GHI) and Centura Health, are working together to provide the people in this devastated country the clean drinking water they need.
In addition to water filters, the Ukrainians need other health care services and relief throughout their country. The staff at Clinica Angelia have all made huge sacrifices since the war began yet have resisted the urge to flee the country but decided to stay and help in any way they can. We are happy to connect anyone interested in directly aiding these heros and the Ukrainian people.
