Illustration: #RomanaRuban
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War is daily bad news, pain and despair. In order to cope with negative emotions and anger, you need to work, says Oksana, a sewing teacher at a factory in Bolekhiv (Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast). When Russian militants attacked the east of Ukraine in 2014, Oksana began sewing first aid kits for the Ukrainian military. Eight years later, the woman was forced to return to this work, because Russia carried out the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
First aid kits in Bolekhiv are made according to the NATO model. Materials for the products are provided by volunteers from the neighboring Lviv Oblast. In two months, Oksana made about 200 first aid kits, and another seamstress, Tetiana, helped her with this. She moved to Ivano-Frankivsk from Kharkiv, one of the most shelled cities in Ukraine.
"You need to do something; occupy your hands and head with something. It isn’t good to sit, because our boys defend us. I want them to win. And I want to go home, rebuild the city that was bombed," says Tetiana.
Other volunteers who weave camouflage nets also come to the Bolekhiv factory. During the day, it is possible to make two pieces, which are then sent to the front. There, nets cover heavy weapons, equipment and military facilities. The need for such camouflage is almost endless: the army needs about a thousand nets daily. Therefore, every contribution and volunteer work is important for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.