Chernihiv region was de-occupied in April last year. Since then, the region has been in full swing with reconstruction and recovery efforts, including by those who returned home immediately or never left their homes. People are doing everything they can, while seeking support in their work. That’s how the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya came up with a request for an excavator.

Given the significant damage to Chernihiv residents’ homes, the first priority was to clear the rubble, and there was a lack of equipment, so manual labor prevailed. However, no matter how strong and resilient Ukrainians are, not everything was possible to do. Therefore, special equipment became extremely necessary. CO "MACZ" responded to a request from the NGO "Because We Can" (Chernihiv) and immediately began looking for funding and a suitable vehicle. The project was supported financially by the first French-language newspaper "Ouest-France", and the excavator was also found in France, for which we are grateful to our friends from the SAFE Association.

Recently, the special machine has arrived in Uzhhorod, where specialists checked everything and conducted a kind of test. It turned out that despite its small size, the excavator is a real "beast". Now the French loader will demonstrate its abilities in Chernihiv region, where it is going this week. There is a lot of work to be done there: clearing the affected area, rebuilding destroyed housing, restoring infrastructure... Earlier, the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya has already sent construction materials and tools, medicines and equipment for hospitals, generators, and essentials for the civilian population to the northern region. Later, the deepening of cooperation and assistance transformed into an excavator. The need was met, once again making sure that joint initiatives and mutual responsibility of civil society are capable of great things despite distances, borders and circumstances.

Let’s keep working!