The Pokrovsk district, where we began distributing food packages from the World Food Programme in January 2024, is a historic region that was thriving before the war started in 2014, especially before the full-scale invasion. It’s where the world-renowned song “Carol of the Bells” or “Shchedryk” was composed by Mykola Leontovych, who lived in the city from 1904 to 1908. Today, this district holds a special place in our hearts, as over the past 8 months, we have built strong relationships with the local population, who have shown us unparalleled resilience and courage. However, there comes a point where the bravest thing to do is to leave everything behind — and that is exactly what is happening in this area now.
This map of the Pokrovsk district, Donetsk region, tells more than just the number of kilometers we have lost — it tells the stories of every person who has been forced to leave their home, their country, and their life behind. As of August, 50,099 people remain in the Pokrovsk district, including 2,992 children. In comparison, in February 2022, the community was home to 82,388 people, including 13,700 children.
Working in such unstable conditions is not only challenging but also a true test for the heart. It pains us to see everything that people have built over the years disappear in the chaos of war. Now, many of the settlements where we were just recently distributing humanitarian aid, like Avdiivka, Ocheretyne, Hrodivka, Prohres, Krasnohorivka, and Novohrodivka, are out of our reach, and we cannot help but think of the faces of the local residents to whom we were recently providing food packages and bread.
Yet despite all the difficulties, we do not give up. We continue to work tirelessly with our partners from the UN World Food Programme to assist those who are leaving the district and those who decide to stay, no matter the dangers. With every meter of our land that is lost, we adapt our mission to the current needs, but we never forget those who just a few months ago came to our distribution points and shared their stories with us.
Together, we are enduring this terrible time, but we believe that the day will come when we can return to everyone we support. Now, despite all the hardships and challenges, we continue to do our work for our people.
Working in such unstable conditions is not only challenging but also a true test for the heart. It pains us to see everything that people have built over the years disappear in the chaos of war. Now, many of the settlements where we were just recently distributing humanitarian aid, like Avdiivka, Ocheretyne, Hrodivka, Prohres, Krasnohorivka, and Novohrodivka, are out of our reach, and we cannot help but think of the faces of the local residents to whom we were recently providing food packages and bread.
Yet despite all the difficulties, we do not give up. We continue to work tirelessly with our partners from the UN World Food Programme to assist those who are leaving the district and those who decide to stay, no matter the dangers. With every meter of our land that is lost, we adapt our mission to the current needs, but we never forget those who just a few months ago came to our distribution points and shared their stories with us.
Together, we are enduring this terrible time, but we believe that the day will come when we can return to everyone we support. Now, despite all the hardships and challenges, we continue to do our work for our people.