The Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission announced the recruitment of volunteers to rebuild the destroyed private homes of civilians in Donetsk and Horlivka. Teams of volunteers are now traveling to these cities on a regular basis. 38 houses in Donetsk and 10 in Gorlovka have already been repaired. During the three years of the Russian Orthodox Church's project to restore private homes of civilians in various cities of Donbass, volunteers have restored more than 830 objects.
"We are receiving requests for assistance in housing rehabilitation from various settlements in Donbass. And we are ready to expand this activity — wherever possible from the point of view of security, we will organize new volunteer bases," says Deacon Igor Kulikov, director of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Mission. — One of the main problems is that there are not enough people who are ready to help. We are really looking forward to all the caring people who are willing to take a week off and come. Coming even for a short period of time will greatly help many lonely elderly and people with disabilities. It is important to do as much as possible before the onset of cold weather, so that people can return to their homes and feel safe."
Construction crews are formed from volunteers of different ages and professions. Their activities are coordinated by professional foremen. Volunteers are rebuilding the homes of those who cannot repair their homes themselves, such as single elderly people, people with disabilities, and large families. Volunteers are restoring communications, replacing doors and windows, plastering walls and ceilings, and repairing roofs.
To become a volunteer repairman, you need to fill out a questionnaire on the website of the Patriarchal Humanitarian Assistance Mission.Russia. You can also call the church's hotline number 8 800 70-70-222.
Since March 2023, the Synodal Department for Charity, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, has been organizing a recruitment of volunteer repair workers to restore private homes of civilians in the conflict zone. The volunteers of the Russian Orthodox Church have already repaired more than 830 houses. 2,880 repair volunteers went to Donbass. Shifts of volunteers are constantly traveling to Mariupol, Volnovakha, Yasinovataya, Avdiivka, Donetsk and Gorlovka.
The duration of one shift is from seven days. Accommodation, meals and travel from Moscow are provided by the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service. With volunteers from other cities, the issue of travel is decided individually. Groups of volunteers leave weekly. About 250 people go on shifts every month.
It is not necessary to have experience in construction to join the help — they will teach you everything on the spot. Among the volunteers there are engineers, teachers, pensioners, businessmen, and students. Women also help at the repair facilities: they plaster, lay linoleum, cook food for volunteers. Many volunteers take vacations to participate in the project.