Zinchenko Oleksiy Needs A Home

Oleksiy, age 76, found the war at his doorstep on February 24, 2022. He hid in his cellar when the shelling began because there were rockets flying everywhere. He had food in the cellar, which he cooked over a fire whenever he thought it was safe enough to be outside. When bread was distributed nearby, Oleksiy took only half of what he was offered so there would be enough for others. He did what he could to help people, including passing on the coordinates of the Russians he saw to the Ukrainian military. A mine exploded not far from Oleksiy when he was charging his phone at a nearby generator provided by volunteers. He was trying to call his children to tell them that he was alive. Fortunately, Oleksiy was not injured and he remained in the village for another 3 months. His children were able to reach the village when the intensity of shelling decreased. They took 5 minutes to collect some of his belongings and left. Oleksiy is currently living in the summer kitchen (a small outbuilding) of friends near Kharkiv where the conditions are terrible. He has to walk a mile for water every day. Oleksiy’s biggest dream is to return to his village because he devoted his whole life to cultivating his land.