Kildare volunteers wanted for online network helping Ukrainian refugees seeking specific requests

Volunteers from County Kildare are being sought for an online network which helps Ukrainian refugees that have put out specific requests to meet their needs.

Helpify Community Ukraine (HCU), which was recently featured on the Brendan O' Connor show on RTÉ Radio 1, is calling on individuals in Kildare to join its Europe-wide volunteer network to assist those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The not-for-profit, online platform aims to ease the burden for refugees by connecting those in need of help with a nearby volunteer who can meet their request.

This might include: travel or legal advice, transport, medical needs, short-term accommodation, translations and/or pet care.

The HCU site is available in English, Ukrainian, Polish, French and Dutch.

Olena Leontieva, a Ukrainian national living in Ireland and HCU spokesperson, explained: "The Helpify Community is about holding Ukrainians’ hands through every step of their journey – from their homes to the border and onward to their ultimate destination. Like so many people when the war broke out, we felt helpless.

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"There were thousands of asks for help per hour on social media, most of them going unanswered; we wanted to find a way to connect the people who need help with those who can provide it.

She continued: "People fleeing their homes don’t have the time or headspace to scroll for information on government websites or figure out complicated travel itineraries. 

"Helpify takes the burden off the refugees; all the work is done by volunteers and the only ask of Ukrainians is to raise a mission."

HCU was established in Belgium during the pandemic to connect those in lockdown with volunteers who could help with dog-walking, pharmacy runs and other needs.

When the Ukraine invasion began, Olena Leontieva and her team partnered with HCU to repurpose the platform for global use and translate it into Ukrainian and Polish: it was active in just five days.

Ms Leontieva elaborated: "Every day, people in Ireland are asking me how they can help. Registering as a volunteer for Helpify Community Ukraine is a way for everyone to do what they can, whether that’s driving a family from the airport to their destination, offering advice, providing clothes or short-term accommodation.

"Over 300 volunteers in Ireland have already joined Helpify, but with up to 100,000 Ukrainian nationals expected here, we need all the help we can get."

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How it works:

The HCU website has two simple options: join as a volunteer from any country in the world, or request for help. 

Those joining as volunteers complete a simple profile including location and the type of support they can provide.

Volunteers are asked to upload proof of identification which is vetted by the HCU team to ensure the safety of those using the platform.

When someone looking for help logs a 'mission,' nearby volunteers receive an alert with details of the mission.

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Those who can help accept the mission and are connected with the person in need.

According to HCU, the project is a citizen’s initiative, not for profit and free to use, with no commercial links, and the platform was created by and is paid for by volunteers from across Europe.

The website for HCU can be accessed by clicking here.