'I felt really helpless': Ukrainian woman in Cork helping to send humanitarian aid
Ukrainian Irene Roytenko loads containers for aid for Ukraine by charity group Project Espwa near Dripsey, Co Cork. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
A Ukrainian woman living in Cork who wanted to go back to her homeland to fight against the Russian invasion says she is exhausted from receiving calls from relatives saying goodbye before they go to war.
Irene Roytenko has been living in Cork since 2003 and led a group of other Ukrainians, Polish, and Romanians on Saturday to load aid for her home country, in Dripsey.
The aid has been organised by Haiti Orphanage Project Espwa. The organisation has previously sent aid to Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and Belarus.
Ms Roytenko, who lives in Donoughmore, said her brother, who is her only sibling, went to fight on the first day of the invasion on February 24.
She says he makes contact with their parents briefly each morning to let them know he is safe.
“It has consumed my time completely and my personal plans went on hold. I can’t look at the people who are enjoying their life because I am not enjoying mine anymore,” Ms Roytenko said.
She has not been able to go home since November 2018 because of small children and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She fears that if the current war is a long conflict, she may not be able to see her family for a long time; she says she has to keep going for her young children.
But she realised she could not because her young children needed her and her husband at home.
“I wanted to do something practical to help and I started raising money and doing this cause for the packing of the humanitarian aid. It makes a difference and makes me feel better about it,” she said.
She is constantly in touch with family and extended relatives.
“My cousin volunteered two days ago and I have more cousins to follow. It is very upsetting when they ring to say goodbye before they go.
"I am receiving their calls all the time. It is horrific and feels very unfair and very frustrating.”
Her father is 60 and is not able to fight in the war because he is above the age limit.
And she says her parents will not leave their hometown of Uman because they do not want to leave Ukraine while their son is there fighting.
She describes the war as “unnecessary and unprovoked”.
Kieran Tansey, who is treasurer of Project Espwa, said: “We are not appealing for any goods to be donated as we have at least enough of the required humanitarian aid to send three or four trailer loads.
"What we need are donations and we are appealing to the public to donate to our charity via the Donate link on our website www.4haiti.ie where the funds raised will be used exclusively for our Ukrainian Emergency Appeal.”
Meanwhile, five ambulance loads of medical equipment have been flown this weekend to Ukraine from Dublin airport after a collection by Medical Help Ukraine.
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