“There are always a lot of orders, sometimes the nets are taken away just from hands”
At first, like everyone else, I was a little scared. Two days later, I injured my leg and went to visit my brother in the village. In the gym of a local school, where I was taken by car every day, I taught people how to weave nets. I was also asked to give a lecture on emergency care: to show how to perform an indirect cardiac massage, artificial respiration, and how to help with injuries or bleeding. Previously, I conducted master classes in medicine for students, military personnel, and even drivers. About a week later, I recovered and returned to Rivne.
There are always a lot of orders - twenty, five, and two; sometimes the nets are taken away just from the hands. I've been weaving camouflage nets since 2014. At first, I did it on Saturdays or Sundays, but back then the requests were less. Now I do this every day after work and all my free time.
A piece measuring 5x9 meters can be made in a day and a half. The speed is very dependent on the size and number of people. It is difficult to say how many of them we have created since the beginning of the war. Honestly, we didn't keep records. Once the girls tried to count, it turned out more than a thousand.
Migrants from Mykolaiv, Berdiansk , Donetsk joined us, but mostly they are people of retirement age. They always come. Now teachers from the 19th school have joined. But we still have our hands full. We weave daily from 10:00 to 17:00 in the church at Hoholia St., except Sundays. On this day children make drawings and write letters to soldiers.
Often there’s not enough material. Once I asked for help from Natalia Ivanivna, HR of the RENOME group of companies. Thanks to her ad, employees brought some materials. I also liked their initiative with boxes in the entrances of some houses. One doesn't need to take clothes anywhere - just come and put them in. Also, we put a bench in the office on the ground floor, where everyone could bring materials for the nets. Thank you.
We always need fabrics of brown, sand, earthen, grass, or marsh shades. Guys do not want the painted one, since it quickly loses color. Previously, natural materials were preferred. It doesn't matter now.
When I have a little time at work, I cut strips to weave them faster. The basis for the nets is brought to us by the volunteer organization “Ruievyt”. They usually pick up the finished ones and send them to the front. We attach a label to each product, where we leave a few kind words and the place of manufacture.
I don't consider myself a volunteer. I just do what I can. Every year we dry apples and put them in six-liter bottles, from which the military then prepare compote for themselves or eat them as a snack. My husband and I transferred our covid “thousands” to help. We support the army financially if necessary. We pray a lot for our soldiers, for Ukraine, for peace.
Everyone can be helpful if they want to. At home, one can cut strips and bring them, help with the manufacture of bandages at “Telecom” yard, or join the employees of schools and kindergartens, who often prepare something for the front.
We have already paid a heavy price for our independence. My father served ten years on a fabricated case under stalin. And when he died, dad was released three months before the end of his sentence in 1953. Subsequently, all illegally convicted persons were rehabilitated. But the crime against our people remains a crime. Therefore, the entire territory has to be liberated. So that we can live freely.