In Ukraine there are 11 regional Lithuanian communities, where about one-third of their members still remain. They are in need of rechargeable lamps and powerbanks, because of electricity outages due to bombings in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro, as well as Kherson. Most needy are Lithuanian families in the south of Ukraine, particularly Nikopol, which is being devastated, like Mariupol. Dalia Makarova, president of the Ukrainian Lithuanian Community, informed the World Lithuanian Community about the situation. Most people are jobless, because employers have closed their businesses or are laying off employees. The windows of their homes have been shattered because of the blasts. For various reasons these families have been unable to leave, and men are not being allowed to cross the border. The community is aging, and consist mostly of pensioners, who receive about 50 euros per month. Costs have risen by 50 to 300 per cent, and the average shopper must pay nearly three times more for groceries. The minimum wage in Ukraine is 150 euros. “Christmas will be celebrated with family… we’re all waiting for victory, and right now nothing else is very important.”
Lithuanians have lost their homes, their jobs, their loved ones, many are ill. The Christmas miracle – the end of the war – seems remote, and winter in Ukraine will be very difficult. Fellow Lithuanians are asked to help their brothers and sisters in Ukraine, so they may endure the wait. The Lithuanian World Community is collecting donations for Lithuanians in Ukraine until January 6, 2023. Go to https://plb.lt/donate/. To use your credit card, select payment by PayPal. All donations will be used to provide basic necessities for Lithuanians in Ukraine.
Lithuanian World Community Board
