December 2022 update: Sunflower Scotland has become a registered charity, so we following the JustGiving rules we created a "charity fundraiser" page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Food-and-Power-for-Ukraines-Frontline-Villages

(the current page has been closed down)

Kharkiv is heavily shelled every day, but life in war-torn villages around this city is so much worse. The Russians keep shelling villages to the north, east and south-east of Kharkiv. For example, residents of Kutuzivka told me that the Russians bomb their homes 30-40 times every day.

Those whose homes were destroyed have been living in cold, damp basements without sunlight for six months.

What we do

We support 300 families in villages around Kharkiv, including Kutuzivka (Staryi Saltiv road), Malinivka (Chuhuiv district), Andriivka and Donets (Izyum district). We deliver food in 10kg bags. We support old people (65+), women with children and disabled persons. Our goal is to increase the number of families we support to 500.

I visited them two times in July and August, and personally took all the photos you see here.

Why your help is needed

The most vulnerable people are stranded near the front line. They have no money to travel, no family to run to. They are simply left behind. Their life is horrible, and it is our Christian duty to help them survive. The winter will be even worse, and many will not make it.

We currently support 300 families. We need your donations to continue our work, and to help 500 families.

Our team in Kharkiv is led by Daniel (pictured on the left). He and Serhii load our 4x4 car with 10 kg bags, and drive to the villages. Each time they go, they risk their lives.

Since August, we stopped shipping food from the UK. The cost of freight has gone up two times to £5,000 per lorry - enough to feed 150 families! But most importantly, we realised that free food is hurting Ukraine's economy. Now we buy locally in Kharkiv, from a wholesale market.

What you can do

We need to buy 5 tonnes of food each month, especially during the winter. Our budget is £1 (45 hryvna) per kilogram. In Ukraine, all types of food (except sugar) are two times cheaper than in the UK (pasta 22 hryvna /kg, cereals 20 hryvna / kg). In addition, we save thousands of pounds on logistics.

The cost of food is £5000. The expenses of our Kharkiv team are £1,000 /mo (fuel, salaries, essential maintenance). Which means our total monthly budget is £6,000.

Please donate as much as you can. Consider subscribing, £30 will feed three families. Thank you so much for support, God bless you.

Our risks

Getting to villages near the front line is not easy. The Russians shell the roads with artillery and send the "Orlan" drones to direct mortar fire. When driving there, we wear bullet proof vests, tactical helmets and pray very hard.

Our teams in Scotland and in Ukraine

I am chairman of a Scottish charitable organisation "Sunflower Scotland ". We are a team of six British nationals, four of us have families in Ukraine.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine, we have a permanent base and a registered charity. Daniel and Serhii are our volunteers who risk their lives several times a week. They deliver food to villages near the front line, where big charities don't go. I drive with them one in a while, to know exactly what's happening on the ground.

All our aid reaches the people in need, we take photos and videos of all deliveries. See our reports here: https://sunflowerscotland.co.uk/

We are transparent and follow Christian values in our work.

Thank you and God bless Ukraine.