Ukraine - our thoughts and actions
Dear Kuula community! We would like to share some personal thoughts on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and encourage you to donate to organizations that help people who suffered in that conflict.
The team behind Kuula, Magda and I, are based in California but we are originally from Warsaw, Poland. This is where we grew up and where our friends and families live and where we spend each summer. Poland is Ukraines' neighbor and both nations have a common history that goes back centuries.
Our perspective
After the fall of the USSR in the early 90s, Ukraine and other countries in central Europe gained their independence, opened to the world and got busy building a better future. Our cities became nicer, people got happier, our economies joined the global community and grew.
Many of us got the chance to become true citizens of the world - travel, build businesses, realize our dreams. These are opportunities that our parents and grand-parents didn't have, so that made us appreciate them even more. One could look into the future with optimism!
On February 24th, the Russian president decided to roll back time and destroy the legacy of the last 30 years. This is why, this war is not just another news story for us. It is personal.
We are greatly saddened by this turn of events. But we are also determined. We have no intention to be dragged back into the bleak reality that we left behind. Ukraine is fighting and winning and we have to support the Ukrainian people in this struggle. Слава Україні! 
How to help?
In this difficult task, Ukrainian people need our help. Right now, people are fleeing the conflict. Millions have been displaced. They stay in Ukraine or cross the border to Poland and other countries.
They urgently need food, medicine, shelter and support. Moving forward, they also need homes for their families, schools for their children, jobs and opportunities to continue to live their lives. Ultimately, Ukraine will need our help in rebuilding what was destroyed.
There are hundreds of organizations both local and global that take part in the relief effort. If there is a charity that you know and trust, please check with them and chances are they are involved. If this is the case, we encourage you to support the cause and donate!
If you do not have of any preferred charities, here's a list of organizations that Kuula supports:
Przystanek Horyniec
Przystanek Horyniec ("Przystanek" can be translated as "Safe harbor") is a charitable foundation from Horyniec, a small town in southeastern Poland, just a few miles from the border with Ukraine. The organization was founded in 2018 by Krystian Kłysewicz, local photographer, filmmaker and author.
I spoke to Krystian recently. He is dedicated to the task, 100% pure energy for good! They provide food, sleeping bags, tents and medical equipment to both people that arrived to Poland and those who are in Ukraine.
You can see what they are working on in regular updates on Facebook - all posts are in Polish and English. To support them, head to their Facebook page for more information:
Polish Humanitarian Action - PAH
PAH is one of the oldest and largest Polish humanitarian aid organizations. It has a track record that goes back three decades. PAH was founded by Janina Ochojska who started organizing convoys to Sarajevo during the conflict in Yugoslavia in the early 90s. Since then, they were helping people in many places around the world such as Yemen, Sudan, Kurdistan and other conflict areas.
PAH has been actively working in the Donbas region since the start of the Russian hostilities in 2014. Using this experience, PAH is now continuing to bring help in eastern Ukraine - the part of the country most affected by the fighting.
International Rescue Committee
Rescue Committee is a renowned international charity organization. Inspired by a call to action by none other than Albert Einstein, IRC was founded in 1933 in New York. IRC has extensive experience of bringing help to places in the world where it is needed. If you want to learn about how IRC is helping in Ukraine, please read this article.
How to stay informed?
We would also like to share a couple of resources that bring information about the conflict and the situation in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent
Kyiv Independent is an Ukrainian independent news organization. Their journalists are reporting from Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities and bring 24/7, first hand information from the front lines. For the latest updates you can follow them on Twitter or subscribe to their channel on Telegram. To make this brave & hard mission possible, please consider supporting them on Patreon.
Become a patron of Kyiv Independent
When Diplomacy Fails podcast
If you are looking for a big picture overview of the situation in Ukraine, I can recommend an episode of the When Diplomacy Fails podcast dedicated to the topic. It's pretty long (1h30), but it will give a better understanding of the recent history and political context that led to the war:
Thank you
Magda & Bartek @ Kuula