What We Do
World Aid Runners does what is needed, where it is needed, and when it is needed to help the people of Ukraine. In practical terms, this means taking a flexible, adaptable view of humanitarian service. Such an approach allows us to be of maximum service, with maximum efficiency, to help the neediest of the needy, the best, and the most.
In practical terms, and in broad strokes, our so-called “front line” humanitarian service can be broken down into two generic categories: obtaining and “running” humanitarian aid to needy people and populations and evacuating them from places they need to be evacuated from (generally, the frontline “hot zones” in and around the conflict zones). The different permutations of this service menu platform are too many to outline exhaustively. On the humanitarian aid side of things, however, it boils down to food, clothing, and medicine. On account of our since-the-war-began participation in the humanitarian effort for the people of Ukraine, we have an expansive network of personal and institutional contacts that allows us to access various supply channels to obtain these items in the needed quantities and to scale up and scale down as the need waxes and wanes. The real value, however, is in getting these items to the people who need them, which inevitably means braving dangerous conditions – often, in the extreme. On the evacuation side, this is a broad term that can mean anything from “rescuing” civilians from war-torn areas and transporting them to safety to simple transport of non-ambulatory civilians from their homes or local hospitals to long-term care facilities or the local train station. On the evacuation side, there are also countless permutations of the basic service.
Its inventory of humanitarian equipment and on-the-ground assets is critical to W.A.R.’s ability to do these things. Foremost among these assets are its brick-and-mortar office in the city center of Kherson and its fleet of humanitarian vehicles, which include two convertible ambulances that can transport more than 1000 kilograms of cargo and have stretcher-bed capabilities to safely and securely evacuate the non-ambulatory. Convertible ambulances are scarce assets that are hard to find and maintain (especially since they are huge targets in the areas near the combat zones). The office, a physical, resident, permanent, on-the-ground presence in the heart of the community in Kherson, is also vital and distinguishes W.A.R. from virtually every other humanitarian organization endeavoring to serve Kherson city and region. Unlike most other organizations, whose humanitarian presence and service are transient (they come in and go out) – a significant impediment to a) understanding and b) serving the needs of the local populace – W.A.R. is a fixture in the community and is available to the people upon request to provide the required humanitarian aid and services needed. Furthermore, at any given time, W.A.R.’s office stores a healthy supply of humanitarian aid and goods (food, clothing, and medicine) at the disposal of the organization for urgent distribution, which is frequently necessary and to serve as a humanitarian “freestore” for the local population, who are invited to stop by at any time for things they may need.
W.A.R. also assists Ukraine’s military units from time to time upon request. Generally, such service is like performing so-called “second-line” evacuations of wounded personnel from the battle zones. W.A.R. does not retain a full-time medic or EMT but, where required, enlists the services of such medically-trained personnel on an ad hoc basis. W.A.R. also assists in delivering supplies requested by military units to those located near or close to the front-line areas.
W.A.R. also has informal relationships and understandings with local war administrations in Ukraine and, where appropriate, provides humanitarian services like aid delivery or evacuation/transport upon their specific request.
W.A.R. also supports other humanitarian organizations, upon request, in executing their own missions, where the unique equipment, experience, and expertise of W.A.R. can add capacity, capability, or increase security to a given mission.