Some time ago we published a blog about a visit to Estonia and the local production of camouflage netting for Ukraine. Last week our IT-consultant, Jonathan Visser, who currently carries out volunteer work in Ukraine restoring computer systems, sent us the following appeal for support.

Kitty Pechersk (Печерські котики, 'The kittens from Pechersk')  is a charitable project based in Kyiv, Ukraine, which has a significant role in producing vital fabric-based items for its brave Ukrainian frontline defenders. This volunteer-run collective has been producing camouflage nets, ghillie suits, helmets and paraffin trench candles by hand since the full-scale Russian invasion in early 2022.

Group of volunteers of Kitty Pechersk.

Ukrainian and international volunteers work around the clock, seven days a week, cutting and preparing fabric before the cut strips can be woven into camo nets and camouflage kikimori (military camouflage suits), so this brave and resilient nation can continue their fight to defend their sovereignty and freedom! They have produced over 40,000 camo nets to date.

I had heard of their work and how inclusive and hard-working they were before I even arrived in Ukraine. I and every other international volunteer I met there were very proud to have been a part of this volunteer project. The many tokens of appreciation from soldiers from the front that decorate the walls at KP underscore how essential and important KP’s work is to their safety and protection from the daily attacks they must endure.

KP is a great place for an individual volunteer with no knowledge of the Ukrainian language. You will be made very welcome as well as meeting like-minded English-speaking volunteers, making it easy to hit the ground running once you arrive. If you are not in Kyiv or unlikely to go anytime soon, then donations help significantly too! There are considerable costs to buying materials and running the project on a daily basis.

We are currently fundraising to cover the cost of a new cloth-cutting machine. This machine will cut basic rolls of fabric into the specific-sized strips that are required to make the camouflage items. The original way of producing these is manual, very time-consuming, and requires the effort of multiple people, and therefore, is slower and creates challenges in production. The new machine will be motorized, able to be run from an independent power supply to operate around the continuous blackouts, and able to be run by a single person, while also cutting down production time by an estimated 80%. This machine will literally help save lives and only costs 1000 euros, as it’s designed and built by volunteers!

ideal logoWe would be truly grateful for any donation you are able to make, no matter the amount. Volunteers on the ground donate their time and energy, so cash donations are a great way to support KP for those who are unable to volunteer. 100% of the donations received will go towards the cost of the materials used to build the fabric-cutting machine. If donations surpass 1000 Euros, extra funds will be directly transferred to Kitty Pechersk to help cover any other costs that they need funding for. So you can rest assured that your donation is guaranteed to support the project and to help provide safety for those who so directly need it!

You can donate directly to the Stichting Textile Research Centre, IBAN NL39 INGB 0002 9823 59, with reference to 'Ukraine'. You can also use the attached iDeal button.

USA-based donors can make tax-deductible contributions to the "..............." at Myriad USA. Because Myriad USA is a public charity, within the meaning of Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the IRC, donors may claim the maximum tax benefits allowed by USA tax law for their contributions. Myriad USA works closely together with Every.org (San Francisco).

Information about volunteering at Kitty Pechersk (which is highly recommended) and other Ukrainian volunteer projects can be found here.

Thank you for your love and support. Slava Ukraini!