1. Why did you decide to join the Life Robots UA project?My hometown of Nova Kakhovka is now occupied by the Russians, all approaches to the Dnipro, all roads, railways, unpaved paths in the steppes, forests and deserts around the city - everything is mined. I understand that even after the liberation of the city, people will not have a peaceful life for decades and I want to contribute to accelerating this process. In the summer of 2022, I was in Germany, in the city of Essen. One morning, the fire alarm went off in the hotel and all the guests were evacuated, because an active bomb from World War II was found next to the hotel. I was stunned that after such a significant period of time, a war that had long ended could still kill people.
2. Do you remember the moment when you realized that you could not stand aside?The evening of February 23, 2022 (in Ukraine it was around 6 am on February 24). My neighbor sent me a message that civilians were being shot at the dam trying to escape the city. I reread the message and couldn’t understand what it was about. I opened the city’s Telegram chat and couldn’t tear myself away from the photos and videos for several hours. I wrote to my family and friends all night, inviting them to come to me. We were able to shelter and support 6 families
3. What does this project mean to you personally?The understanding that together we are a force, that I can resist the Russian invasion even from faraway Canada without a weapon in my hands.
4. How has your life changed since you started participating in this project?My general anxiety has been replaced by practical actions and reflections on what else can be done. My life has taken on a new direction
5. Why work? Why do you think it is important for the front now?The life of every person, every Ukrainian is a treasure. There are not as many of us as there are Russians, so we must fight not with numbers, but with intelligence. We must prove to ourselves and the whole world that Ukrainians are a modern society of highly qualified professionals capable of amazing achievements.
6. What human story or fact particularly touched you and prompted you to take action?My husband's younger sister gave birth to a daughter 5 days before the invasion. She managed to put her 3 children in the car and jump over the dam when the Russian tanks were already there, but had not yet turned around to shell the bridge. My friend, who lived in Kyiv, went with her daughter to her dacha, in Borodyanka, the day before, on Wednesday. They arrived late in the evening and were very tired, so they left all their belongings in the car. It also saved their lives because in the morning they simply jumped into the car and managed to leave.
7. How do you explain the essence of the project to friends or relatives who are not very tech-savvy?You don't feel for robots. You feel for people.
8. What is unique about the project? What do you do that other foundations don't?Narrow focus is simplicity and clarity. People are more likely to accept an idea when it is so specific.
9. Do you believe that ordinary people can influence the course of the war? How exactly?The Ukrainian nation is ordinary people. There are no X-men or supermen among us, but despite all the predictions and logical calculations, we are still standing.
10. What do you tell yourself or others when things get difficult or scary?A big journey begins with the first small step.
11. What strength have you seen in people who are already helping?When 3 Ukrainian families were already living in our house and another family was leaving, and there was nowhere to put them, a colleague came up to me at work and asked if she could help in any way. I shared the problem with her and she immediately offered to take this family in. I was amazed at how quickly and simply this huge problem for me was solved.
12. Do you have a dream related to the future of Ukraine and this project?I am an IT specialist who specializes in supporting civil engineers-designers, in particular, dams, railways and highways in difficult natural conditions. I dream of returning to my hometown and working on its restoration.
13. What would you say to a person who is hesitating: to help or not?This is your chance to do something small and change the course of history
14. Why is even one donation important to you?The sea is made up of droplets of water. There are millions of us, ordinary and caring people. If everyone donates at least one hryvnia or dollar, we are capable of great achievements.
15. If you could convey one message to everyone reading this interview - what would you say?Impunity breeds violence all over the world. You cannot stand aside, because there are no absolutely safe places on Earth. If you don't know what you can do - I will give you a simple but effective solution.