Volunteer cleanup in Irpin, or how ZMINA celebrates its 10th anniversary

On August 15, the Human Rights Centre ZMINA celebrated its 10th anniversary by organizing a volunteer cleanup in the town of Irpin, Kyiv region. Our team, together with the organization “Courage to Restore”, cleared away rubble and prepared one of the houses damaged by Russian army strikes for further repairs.

Helmets, shovels, gloves, and bags were the equipment that human rights defenders had that day. The goal of our team was to clear away the rubble of the last floors of the destroyed and burned house so that the builders could continue to repair it and the residents could finally return home.

To celebrate ZMINA’s anniversary and help with the hard work, our friends from the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Freedom House, and the Ukrainian Legal Aid Foundation joined us.

ZMINA Chair Tetiana Pechonchyk says that the organization’s mission is to build a country where every person can protect their rights.

“Now it is necessary not so much to build but to rebuild, scrape off, clear away the consequences of the ‘Russian world’. It hurts to look at these ashes. These rooms were full of life: there was a baby cot here, there were burnt spoons, and there were miraculously survived mugs. But we work and we believe: everything will be rebuilt and residents will return here,” Pechonchyk says.

If you also want to congratulate ZMINA team on their 10th anniversary, you can do this with your donations, click here for details. We appreciate your support and thank you for being with us!