Students, parents, and teachers come together to sew adaptive clothing and essential items for injured soldiers, despite ongoing power outages caused by Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid. Thanks to a Peremoha Mini-Grant secured by Felecia Roger Vargas (RPCV 2017-2019) and her counterpart, Irina, a new charging station now powers their efforts, ensuring their work continues uninterrupted.
RPCV: Felecia Roger Vargas; Community Development, Youth Development, and Peace Corps Response Volunteer; 2017-2019
Ukrainian Partner: Irina, School Vice Principle
Region: Poltava Oblast
Students, parents, and teachers from around a small town in Poltava Oblast come together in the evenings at their local school to volunteer their spare time to make adaptive clothing and other essential items for soldiers recovering from injuries. They receive donated fabric, bed linens, and pillows from partnerships with local businesses and donations from around the town.
Unfortunately, due to Russia’s constant attacks, the lyceum consistently experiences power outages in the evenings that halt their work for hours at a time. These power outages are due to Russia’s continual targeting of the power grid.
There are three main types of power outages: localized accidents, emergency outages, and planned outages. The planned outages are used to reduce the load on the power system in Ukraine as Russia has destroyed more than 9.2 GW—half of the peak electricity consumption in the winter. As the war continues, power outages have become more frequent. In response to Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure, the country has become more strategic in conserving power so critical facilities can maintain operations.
Felecia (RPCV 2017-2019) and her counterpart, Irina, collaborated to secure a Peremoha Mini-Grant to purchase a charging station for their school. The charging center enables the volunteers to continue their work, creating clothes and other necessities for recovering soldiers despite the increasing power outages.
In addition to the efforts within the lyceum, the school cooperates with a large volunteer initiative, The Sewing Company Association (“Shveyna Rota”), which supports both the front lines and the wounded. Volunteers from Poltava and those displaced from the East of Ukraine dedicate their time and energy to supporting soldiers’ physical and mental health. Together, they produce not only adaptive clothing but also “Bags of Care,” which include comfort items and hygiene products for defenders.
This initiative has a profound impact on the community by uniting diverse representatives—people from different generations, including individuals with disabilities and refugees from regions affected by Russian aggression. It fosters a sense of purpose and solidarity, giving participants the assurance that their efforts are both valuable and essential to the country and society.
Through coming together as a community, this small but mighty group continues to create hope for injured soldiers and fellow community members who feel empowered to actively support their compatriots. It is through selfless and self-driven projects like these that individuals can uplift both themselves and their communities.
The Peremoha Mini-Grants program, launched in 2022, empowers Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and their Ukrainian partners to lead impactful projects supporting humanitarian aid, community development, education, and youth initiatives. These grants are made possible through charitable contributions and proceeds from the Babusya’s Kitchen Cookbook.
You can help make a difference! Donate to the Peremoha fund, purchase a cookbook, or apply for your own grant to support Ukraine.