The friendship between the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine and Kyiv’s preschool educational institution No. 536 began in the winter of 2024, when the Union’s Deputy Head, Sofiya Cherepanova, visited a Christmas fair organized by the institution’s leadership and educators to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At that time, the children donated over 200 patriotic crafts to the union members defending us on the front lines, as well as nearly 10,000 UAH, which helped purchase an EcoFlow charging station for the 33rd Separate Assault Brigade.
Last autumn, lavender was planted on the kindergarten grounds by the children and staff, which this season once again provided an opportunity to help the army. As part of a charity event, anyone interested could take a fragrant bouquet in exchange for a voluntary donation to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The funds raised were transferred to the needs of the All-Ukrainian Trade Union of Defenders of Ukraine, where they are converted into evacuation plastic stretchers for the field medics of the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade.
“Recently, representatives of the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade contacted me with a request for tactical stretchers to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. The first part of the request was fulfilled by the Mykolaiv Regional Organization of the Trade Union. The next day, the director of kindergarten No. 536 reached out to me with an offer to donate funds and gratitude from the children to our defenders. That’s how we fulfilled the second part of the request. This is what I call the law of positive energy in action and the power of unity within the trade union family,” Sofia says with inspiration.
