Vienna Mission for Ukraine

4/1 to 4/30 Recap

Published by Vienna Mission for Ukraine on

4/1 to 4/30 Recap

4/1 VAN PROGRAM – LVIV MISSION

A VM4U van team planned to use the new VM4U van to deliver Oleg’s insulin and YOUkraine’s medical supplies to Ukraine. However, the van broke down in Czech Republic due to a fuel pump failure. The van was towed to a repair shop in Czech Republic before being limped back to Vienna, unloaded, and sent for maintenance. YOUkraine and VM4U donations were used for fuel, tolls, vignette, towing, and maintenance.

YOUkraine: https://youkraine.at/

4/1 to 4/31 MUSIC PROGRAM UPDATE

Nadiia, Music Program Manager and Instructor, is working to return refugee children to their music training. The program has 5 instructors for 10 children: Joel (Saxophone), Emin (Piano), Mariam (Piano), Nadiia (Violin), Svetlana (Guitar). A guitar instructor is needed. The music program is a partnership with Kimu Wien (@kimu_wien), Liberty Education, and Domivka (domivka.co). VM4U donations are used for instrument maintenance and instruction materials.

Liberty Education: http://liberty-education.at

Domivka: https://www.domivka.co/

4/1 to 4/31 FURNISHINGS PROGRAM UPDATE

Nathan, Furnishings Program Manager, continues to work with Olga, The Feel Good Store, to transfer furniture and appliances directly from donors to refugees on nearly a daily basis using the VM4U van. The furnishings team includes Pasha, Artem, Oleksandr, Arkady, Jake, Michael, Anatolii, David, Adam, Lauren, and others. VM4U donations are used for van fuel.

The Feel Good Store: https://www.thefeelgoodstore.at/

4/2, 4/9, 4/20, 4/23, 4/27, 4/30 GERMAN PROGRAM SESSIONS

Holly, German Program Manager and Instructor, and her team of instructors including Maeve and Zoe, continue to offer adult and children’s German language courses at Domivka. The German team offers A1 courses for adults and children on Sundays and a C1 course on Thursdays (as of 4/20) to assist adults in preparing for the Österreichisches Sprachdiplom (ÖSD) exam (i.e., German Language Diploma issued by the Austrian government). VM4U donations cover the cost of classroom supplies.

4/3, 4/10, 4/24 FOOTBALL PROGRAM TRAINING

Coach Oleksandr, Football Program Manager, and Coach Sergii continue to host football training for children ages 6-11 on Monday nights from 17:30-19:00 at Castellezgasse 35 in cooperation with Domivka. Roxy, Psychological Support Program Manager, continues to bring snacks to the kids after each session which has become tradition. Indoor gymnasium use is cost-free. €330 in program specific donations from Julia, Sharon, and Steven are in reserve with this program.

4/3 SVETLANA SUPPORT CASE – INTEGRATION

Svetlana requested transportation support to bring her elderly mother, father, and aunt to the government office to register their meldezettel and Austria Center Vienna (ACV) to obtain their social benefits (which took 5 hours). Svetlana’s mother has dementia and is in a wheel chair. Arkady referred the case, Adam was the driver, and Michael provided the vehicle. Dr. Liliana is assisting Svetlana’s mother to visit a doctor; Irina, Gebhard, and Nataliia are assisting the mother to apply for disability benefits; Nathan delivered 3 beds, cupboards, and a sofa; YOUkraine supplied adult diapers (which are outside the family’s budget) to support the mother’s upcoming doctors and government office visits.

4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 ART PROGRAM WORKSHOPS

Juliia, Art Program Manager, hosts an arts and crafts workshop each Monday for children at Domivka. On 4/19, the workshop also included the mothers. VM4U donations cover the costs of art supplies.

4/7 MEETING WITH SAVE UKRAINE

Svetlana, VM4U Orphanage Support Program Manager and Refugee Support Case Manager, and Adam, VM4U Executive Director, had a zoom meeting with Dmytro, Xenia, and Anastasiia from the Save Ukraine organisation. Save Ukraine has full scope refugee support activities from armored vehicle rescue, “hope and recovery centers”, psychological support, and reconstruction. Save Ukraine is a very large scale operation with an emphasis on supporting children. Notably, Save Ukraine is involved in the rescue of Ukrainian children relocated to Russia and Russian occupied territories as well as the corresponding legal prosecution. VM4U has worked with Save Ukraine in the past on 2 (almost 3) orphanage relocations from Ukraine to Austria. Psychological support is an area of potential collaboration. During the meeting, VM4U also mentioned our continued support of Pascale, head of Kleine Herzen, who met with Save Ukraine in Kyiv on 4/6.

Save Ukraine: https://saveukraineua.org/

Kleine Herzen: https://www.kleineherzen.or.at/

4/10 TANYA’S VM4U FUNDRAISER

A VM4U volunteer, Tanya, organized a professional photo shoot fundraiser at Oberlaa Park which raised €427. Each photo shoot lasted 30 minutes and included professional makeup and 10 photos.

4/13 to 4/15 HAIDEHOF DORMATORY SUPPORT CASE – RELOCATION

Thanks to David and Tanja Maier’s tireless dedication to field work, the 4/15 closure of the Haus Haidehof dormitory was detected. ~100 refugee tenants, who are mostly disabled, blind, amputee, wheel chair bound, and with serious medical concerns, were unable to move by the deadline and were at-risk of ending up on the street. VM4U organised a team led by Svetlana, Case Manager, who earlier this week met with the Haus Haidehof management from Samariterbund. Svetlana negotiated permission for VM4U support and then interviewed the ~100 refugee tenants to establish the needs. After the human and material resources were organised, Svetlana then marshalled ~50 volunteers to pack baggage, transport refugees, and deliver baggage from Haidehof to ~10 locations around Vienna over 48 hours. Svetlana also worked with counterparts from Fonds Soziales Wien, i.e. the Austrian government, to perform last minute placement of refugees without accommodation. All refugees and their belongings were successfully transferred to new accommodations except for 4 cases, including blind and disabled refugees, who were forced to stay at the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center operated by Red Cross). The Social Work Hub sponsored the 500 IKEA bags, YOUkraine and VM4U provide medical supplies, and The Feel Good Store and VM4U supplied volunteers.

Samariterbund: https://www.samariterbund.net/

Fonds Soziales Wien: https://www.fsw.at/

4/14 ALINA SUPPORT CASE – MEDICAL

Irina, Refugee Welfare Program Manager, and Dr. Liliana assisted Alina to find a doctor for her young daughter.

4/16 to 4/17 VAN PROGRAM – LVIV MISSION

A VM4U van team, Fred and Keith, delivered Oleg’s insulin and diabetic supplies and medical supplies, hygiene, and food for YOUkraine to Lviv for continuation to hospitals throughout Ukraine and an aid distribution center in Lviv. YOUkraine and VM4U donations were used for fuel, tolls, and vignette.

4/17 NATALIIA SUPPORT CASE – ACCOMODATION

Natallia recently had surgery and is undergoing chemotherapy. Nataliia and her daughter Oksana were recently transferred to a VM4U host family apartment from the Haidehof dormitory on 4/14 as an alternative to the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center). On 4/17, Nataliia experienced medical distress. Robert, Host Family, coordinated with Dr. Liliana and Nataliia was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Vasily reported to the hospital to translate. Adam transported Oksana home. Nataliia remained in the hospital until 4/22. On 4/28 Nataliia and Oksana visited the Austria Center Vienna to begin receiving social benefits, but with mixed results. Contradictory to their agreement with Social Funds Vienna, they were removed from the government accommodations waiting list. A followup appointment has been made for 5/5 during which a VM4U translator and advocate will be present. VM4U donations were used for vehicle fuel and an uber home from the hospital.

4/17 VICTORIA SUPPORT CASE – RELOCATION

Victoriia (mother), 21 yo son, 16 yo daughter, 74 grandmother, and 74 grandfather were abruptly evicted from a government sponsored apartment administered by Reit!Zaum and more-or-less left in the street. During the abrupt eviction, the grandmother suffered medical distress and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Nathan and Adam transported the family’s belongings to the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center). VM4U donations were used for vehicle fuel.

4/17 LYUBOV SUPPORT CASE – MEDICAL

Lyubov (daughter) requested a special chair with a bed pan for her ~80 yo mother (Alzheimers) and/or ~80 yo father (partially paralyzed). The family currently resides at Hostel Hutteldorf. The special chair was donated by YOUkraine (youkraine.at) and transported by VM4U. VM4U donations were used for vehicle fuel.

4/17 DIMA SUPPORT CASE UPDATE – MEDICAL

Dima entered into medical distress related to his failing kidneys and pending transplant. Oleg and David, Case Managers, coordinated with Dr. Liliana and Dima was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Dima returned home from the hospital on 4/23.

4/18 ARTEM SUPPORT CASE – MEDICAL

A VM4U volunteer transported Artem to his doctor’s appointment where Arkady translated. Artem is a middle aged gentleman in a wheel chair with significantly impaired mobility who currently resides at the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center). VM4U donations paid for the van fuel.

4/18, 4/23 VIENNA ARRIVAL CENTER SUPPORT CASE

On 4/18, at the request of the Vienna Arrival Center (operated by Red Cross), a VM4U volunteer transported Artem (in wheel chair with significantly impaired mobility) and Igor (blind) and their belongings to Hostel Hutteldorf using the VM4U van. Unfortunately, Artem and Igor were transferred back the Vienna Arrival Center a few hours later due to the unavailability of appropriate accommodations at Hostel Hutteldorf. Noting this is the 2nd and 3rd time Artem and Igor have be relocated with their belongings between facilities in Vienna in 5 days, Svetlana, VM4U Case Manager, followed up with Ulrike, Red Cross head of the Vienna Arrival Center, to register the apparent communication breakdown between facilities. On 4/23, a VM4U volunteer transported Artem and Igor from the Vienna Arrival Center to a government sponsored dormitory (operated by Samariterbund) for an interview. The dormitory and the potential residents spent 45 minutes discussing the suitability of this particular dormitory for these two refugees. After which, Artem and Igor returned to the Vienna Arrival Center.

4/18 UNAUTHORIZED TRANSACTIONS FROM VM4U ERSTE BANK ACCOUNT

Two unauthorized bank transfers were made from the VM4U Erste bank account, each for EUR 179.79 and apparently configured for reoccurrence. All VM4U transfers are authorized by the Executive Director, Treasurer, and Vice Treasurer; both the Treasurer and Vice Treasurer must enter separate passwords. It was established that these two transactions to an online dating site – Be2.at – were bank fraud. Erste bank refunded the money to VM4U. VM4U does not use credit or debit cards, only IBAN.

4/20 VAN PROGRAM – VAN DONATED TO UKRAINE

The First Aid First Hand (firstaid-firsthand.de) van “Rosa” was donated to Team Fynn. Rosa was unable to pass inspection in Austria due to rust on the chassis, which cannot practically be repaired, but is otherwise in very good working condition. Rosa went in for service prior to being transferred to Team Fynn and has since been transferred to Ukraine. VM4U donations covered the cost of fuel, tolls, and service.

4/20 NADIIA SUPPORT CASE – MEDICAL/INTEGRATION

Nadiia has a disease which affects her eyes which requires periodic treatment. Nadiia has received some treatment here in Vienna but has since been turned away. Dr. Liliana and Irina, VM4U Refugee Welfare Program Manager, are assisting Nadiia to find a doctor. Gebhard, VM4U Integration Program Manager, is further assisting by arranging a medical evaluation of Nadiia’s impairment to see if Nadiia qualifies as disability and additional government support.

4/22 YULIIA SUPPORT CASE – RELOCATION

VM4U volunteers using the VM4U van helped relocate Yuliia’s household between government sponsored dormitories.

4/22 ANASTASIIA SUPPORT CASE – RELOCATION

VM4U volunteers using the VM4U van helped relocate Anastasiia’s household between government sponsored dormitories.

4/23 ANDREY SUPPORT CASE – INTERGRATION/UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

Andrey requested support to become legal guardian of his 16 year old goddaughter so that she can attend university in Vienna. VM4U arranged for the required meeting with the magistrate on 4/26, however, this meeting was unsuccessful. A second meeting was arranged and attended in person by David, VM4U Case Manager, on 4/27 and was successful. Eileen, VM4U University Education Program Manager, continues to support Andrey with guidance finding dormitory accommodations as well as university preparation and enrollment.

4/27 IGOR SUPPORT CASE – MEDICAL

A VM4U volunteer drove and accompanied Igor (blind) from the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center) to his doctor’s appointment and back.

4/29 ANATOLII SUPPORT CASE – INTEGRATION

Anatolii has effectively lived at the Vienna Arrival Center (refugee center) for over one month. Anatolii incidentally lives separately from his wife and children, which reside at a government accommodation where men are not permitted. VM4U assisted Anatolii to receive his blue card. Anatolii has found paid work and additionally volunteers regularly with the VM4U furniture program. VM4U is working with Anatolii and his family to get them under the same roof as soon as possible.

4/30 ZHURAVNO ORPHANAGE SUPPORT PROJECT UPDATE

VM4U launched a new fundraising campaign to raise €8,800 in project specific donations to supply the Zhuravno Orphanage with much needed industrial washing and drying machines.