This week, hard work was done in the ZGT Overzee warehouse in Holten on a new shipment of relief supplies for Ukraine. Volunteers from Lifeline Ukraine sorted, labeled, and carefully placed the materials on pallets. Since the outbreak of war in February 2022, this volunteer organization has been continuously committed to humanitarian aid. What is collected and prepared here is immediately sent to hospitals and frontline areas. What started as a small initiative has now grown into an efficient organization with short lines of communication and direct distribution through a local partner in Ukraine.

An organization with a direct impact

Lifeline Ukraine operates with a small board and a permanent group of volunteers, but has tightly organized its logistics. Every donation—whether monetary or non-monetary—is tracked to its final destination. In Ukraine, a partner organization handles further distribution, ensuring that aid quickly reaches where the need is greatest. Transparency with donors is essential; there is always feedback on what has been done with each contribution. It is precisely this reliability that makes more and more people and organizations willing to help.

Why volunteers do this

Volunteer Ben provides support, among other things, with the technical preparation of generators and equipment. He sees how great the need is and feels that contributions remain essential. You can’t help everywhere, he says, but you can start somewhere. For him, that means providing practical assistance with transports and repairs, ensuring that everything is ready for use upon arrival.

For Frank, the motivation is personal. As a young man, he met resistance fighter Piet Meerburg, who helped hundreds of Jewish children go into hiding during World War II. He received the message: if injustice happens again, don’t look away, but take action. When the first rockets struck Kyiv in February 2022, it felt like the moment to fulfill that promise. Since then, he has been actively involved in aid shipments to Ukraine.

What’s in the truck?

The need in Ukraine remains significant and diverse. Medical supplies are fully utilized and sometimes used creatively when alternatives are lacking. What is standard care equipment here can literally save lives there. This shipment includes:

• Bandages and plasters
• Urine bags (sometimes used for emergency treatment)
• Incontinence supplies and absorbent dressings
• Various medical supplies
• Generators for areas experiencing power outages

Even materials that are commonplace here sometimes find a different use there. In emergency situations, everything available is used. This underscores the importance of every box and every resource.

Snow, delays, and perseverance

The transport schedule was temporarily affected by heavy snowfall in the Netherlands. As a result, the Ukrainian driver couldn’t return immediately and stayed here over the weekend. On Monday, the truck was finally loaded by Henk Dassen, Rob van Nus, and Frank from Aalsmeer. Despite the delay, the transport was able to depart as planned. This demonstrates the flexibility volunteers have in handling unexpected circumstances and the strong sense of responsibility they possess.

More than medical aid

In addition to medical supplies, a donated school bus will soon be delivered to Ukraine. This bus will transport children to an underground school site, ensuring that education can continue despite the threat. This demonstrates that the commitment goes beyond emergency aid alone. Besides medical care, education is also essential for stability and future prospects. Every delivery contributes to hope, continuity, and resilience.

A chain of commitment

This work is only possible through collaboration. From collection and sorting to transport and distribution: every link in the chain is essential. The partnership with ZGT Overzee makes it possible to have a direct impact in Ukraine from Holten. It is a concrete example of how local efforts gain international significance. Ultimately, it starts with people deciding not to look away, but to actually do something.