As freezing winter temperatures grip Eastern Europe, the humanitarian need in Ukraine is more urgent than ever. In response, following several highly successful campaigns in 2022, the Plant & Hire Aid Alliance have launched their latest appeal, Power to Ukraine, in association with Rotary International. The ambitious appeal aims to send no less than 10,000 desperately needed generators to Ukraine.
Why are generators needed?
Following repeated attacks on the power grid and other critical infrastructure, many Ukrainians get just three hours of electricity per day, not nearly enough to combat temperatures that rarely rise above freezing. Winter temperatures in the capital, Kyiv, can reach as low as -4°C in the daytime and -11°C at night, putting thousands of lives at risk.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky said that generators had become “as important as armour in helping Ukraine to survive this winter”. In an impassioned plea to an emergency conference in Paris, Zelensky described the latest Russian bombardment as “blackout and energy terror”, creating a desperate situation that has left as many as 12 million Ukrainians without power to heat their homes in the depths of winter.
Generators are already saving lives
95 generators have already been sent directly from the factory to Ukraine, as part of the Alliance Christmas appeal. This was thanks to a very generous donation of £25,000 from Gary McArdle, President of Rail Services in the US.
These generators are already saving lives at the main hospital in Kharkiv in North East Ukraine. They have been put to use in the Institutes of Neurology, Psychiatry and Narcology, where dedicated staff treat both military and civilian casualties from the war.
Ukraine needs you!
By donating to the Power to Ukraine appeal, you or your company can make a real difference, providing life-saving winter heating to a desperate Ukrainian family, or essential power to a medical facility like those above.
“A donation of £270 is enough to buy and send a generator to Ukraine, to help keep these families warm,” said Jeremy Fish, the CEO of Ardent Hire which set up the Alliance. “This includes the elderly, as well as small children and babies, who are at serious risk from the cold. We have all recently experienced the misery of bitterly cold weather, but just imagine going through that with no power for heating. It doesn’t bear thinking about.
“Working with Rotary International, we’re appealing to colleagues across the UK and around the world to join us to help reach this ambitious target of 10,000 generators.”
Targeted help
To ensure that the generators reach those in the greatest need, the Alliance is working with the 69 Rotary Clubs across Ukraine, which will help distribute the generators’ and confirm that they have only been provided directly to those intended. “This not only maximises the impact of the campaign, but also gives our generous donors the reassurance that their contribution is making a real difference,” says Fish.
The alliance has also created a website where the aid workers will register each recipient including the details of the family or group, along with a declaration that the generator is being used as intended.
Every penny goes towards buying a generator
The people of Ukraine need all the help they can get to stay warm this winter. If you would like to help, either as an individual or as a company, you can rest assured that every penny of your donation will go directly towards generator orders for immediate dispatch. There are no paid staff and no overheads or other such costs. If you are located in the UK, Gift Aid will add a further 25% to your donation at no extra cost to you.
The Ukrainian people are literally freezing to death right now, so your donation, however large or small, will genuinely save lives. To find out more, and to make your donation, please visit aid-alliance.com, email ukraine@ardenthire.com or donate by visiting: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ukraine-gensets.
