Together with Ukraine

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Our new film (15 min) "Together with Ukraine" is available by clicking HERE.

As the war in Ukraine heats up, the humanitarian situation is getting worse by the hour! Ukraine's borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania have seen an influx of refugees fleeing the war.

As Rotarians, our motto has always been to serve others. Thomas Seghazzi and Eric Holdorf selflessly travelled to Eastern Romania to help local NGOs and Rotary Clubs.

Here is the funding that our Club has received as of April 11th, 2022:

  • Total amount donated: 131,572.-
  • 35,832.- of private donations
  • 55,740.- from the following Rotary Clubs:
    • Rotary Club Genève International;
    • RC Fürstentum Liechtenstein;
    • Swiss Rotary Foundation;
    • Rotary Club Edmeston;
    • Rotary Club Aarau.
  • 40,000.- from Foundations.

We'll be posting regular updates of how these funds are being allocated to help families both within Ukraine but also those crossing the border.

Eric and Thomas pictured before their departure for Romania

Eric and Thomas pictured just before their departure for Romania.

Our 'branded' car with the Club's fanion just outside the Romanian border.

An immense thank you to our host Club, RC Fălticeni who are working tirelessly to help those in need!

Club Fanions exchanged and project details in place, the work can now begin!


March 5th - Purchase of essential goods for Ukraine

March 5th - Essentials transported to Ukraine

On March 5th, along with the Rotary Clubs in Falticeni (Romania) and Chernivtsi (Ukraine), a large quantity of medicine, tinned food and nappies were loaded onto trucks and sent over the border into Ukraine. The goods will be distributed to women and children in need as well as families running out of essential goods.

Food being loaded onto the truck for Ukraine

Our Club logo on the goods going to Ukraine

Eric coordinating the loading of goods

The goods get loaded onto trucks!

The truck from Ukraine arrives!

What Rotary is all about: Three Clubs represented in one photo.

Picture of the tinned food that was sent over to Ukraine

The convoy arrives at the border with Ukraine

Once purchased, the goods are now being loaded onto vans to be taken to the border with Ukraine

Some of the tinned food that will be sent over to Ukraine

Three Rotary Clubs in one photo!

Medicine is in very short supply in Ukraine so it was our priority to buy!


Items arrive in Ukraine

On March 5th/6th, the items crossed the Romanian border with Ukraine and arrived at a warehouse in the city of Chernivtsi. Pictured here are local Rotarians unloading the trucks of goods that were bought in Romania.

The boxes of medicine can be seen in the truck.

March 8th - Working with Ukrainian Refugees in Falticeni, Romania

On Tuesday, March 8th, Thomas and Eric assisted the Rotary Club Falticeni to distribute food to the Ukrainian refugees arriving in the town. This initiative was started by the RC Falticeni since the first days of the war.

The women with children who arrive in Falticeni are accommodated in appartments which are presently not used or not needed by Romanians. But they have nothing more than their clothing. So, it’s important that they get at least one good-portioned hot meal a day, which the Rotary club together with other local associations provides. When visiting, the RC also asks whether they can help with other things. They, for example, organise that children can be included in local kindergardens or schools to keep them busy.

Items being loaded into cars to be distributed.

Hot meals that will be given to refugees.

A Mother with her three children from across the border in Chernivtsi. The Father/Husband stayed back in Ukraine to fight.

A young Mother with her daughter from Odessa. Her Husband stayed back in Odessa to fight.


March 9th - Urgent Delivery of Goods to the border town of Siret

Urgent delivery of goods to the border town of Siret

On March 9th, Eric and Thomas did an urgent delivery of essential goods to the border town of Siret. The items delivered resulted from an evaluation they did on Monday on the ground, asking “what are the most urgent needs?” and “what does not anyone do at the moment?”.  The authorities gave them a list of items including: winter boots for children, boots, gloves, scarves, caps/hats and cleaning material for schools and town halls where refugees are hosted.

The total value of the goods was approximately 3’500 Euro. The goods were handed over to the town authorities of Siret and then distributed to the refugees arriving at the border and those already accommodated in temporary facilities in town.

Transport to Siret in the Rotary-“branded” van

Offloading at the central warehouse point in Siret

Some of the goods delivered

Shoes, especially urgent as the temperature this week is about -5 degrees during the day!

A Ukrainian refugee receiving shoes at distribution point

The representatives from RC Falticeni and Genève-International with the head of the the Mayor’s office of Siret

The Mayor of SIRET, Mr. Adrian Popoiu, now in possession of our Club's fanion.

Refugees in a school accommodation in the village of Siret


March 13th - Back in Nyon

After 4,500 km, Eric and Thomas are back where they started. They have worked tirelessly to coordinate and help Ukrainians both fleeing but also still in the country.


April 8th - Harsch truck arrives in Faltecini, Romania

As part of our Club's continued focus on tackling the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, we partnered with RC Genève-Lac to bring palates of essential goods from Geneva to Cernivci. A special thanks to Onefm Radio, Migros and Harsch trucks for providing their expertise and support of this growing project.

The truck, sponsored by the Geneva company Harsch, arrived in Falticeni on April 8th and the items were then offloaded onto a Ukrainian truck on April 9th. The Rotary Club in Cernivci will then distribute the items to people in need.


March 9th - Goods arrive in Cernivci, Ukraine

On March 9th, the goods that were sent from Switzerland arrived in Cernivci, Ukraine after a pit stop in Faltecini, Romania. Pictured below is the RC Cernivci, who are responsible for the distribution of the goods to people in need.

25'000.- approved in donations

Our Board has approved at the beginning of this week a next tranche of 25’000 CHF for the Ukraine programme. On Wednesday, our friends from RC Falticeni have purchased everything which was on the list we received from the RC Cernivci in Ukraine (which you find attached to this mail). They then transported all the goods to a warehouse at the border, from where they will be transported to Cernivci very shortly. They the goods will be sent on to the frontline cities and towns where they will be distributed to the individual beneficiaries by members of the local Rotary clubs.

All the goods on the list provided by RC Cernivci was purchased and transported to a warehouse on the border town of Siret. 

The beneficiaries of the many donations that have been given come from all walks of life. If you're interested in seeing some of them, you can do so here.