Social Drone and Dzygas Paw

24.4

Social drone is a one-man project and Mykola is the spider in a network of some 9000 more or less active volunteers. These people assemble drones at their kitchen tables. The parts they buy online from Ali Express in China. They glue and solder according to instructions. Then send it to Mykola who tests them before they move on to various army units. There they are equipped with what that particular unit needs at the very moment. The larger drones take 1.5 kg of explosives.

Mykola has his workshop and warehouse deep down in a garage. Wide-eyed, we visitors stood and saw a drone being steered around among cars and concrete pillars. Setting the focus was not easy.

Dzyga is the name of a dog. He is said to have left a muddy paw print on some important paper. Hence the name Dzygas Paw. This organization primarily supports a number of military units. Speed and transparency are the leadwords. The amount you donate and your name are posted on their website. Eight people work at the office in a worn-down villa outside Lviv. Most of them are IT specialists. The efficiency is strikingly high, with only 8% going to operational costs, which in a Swedish context is very low. This also includes dog food. They have received six million dollars in donations from donors in 70 countries since 2022.

In a mirror outside their house I take the opportunity to post a picture of myself surrounded by stickers from different organizations. There are tenth of thousands of volunteering organizations in the countr, most of them small, providing support to a unit where there are personal relations.

I am a member of Ukrainian Volunteer Hub in Stockholm. They suggested me to visit Lviv Volunteer Kitchen. Ira is clever in navigating the city by buses and trams, so we found our way there. In cities we only use public transport.

Here they prepare portions of food, soups, and energy bars. 1000 a week. The packages are sent to the trenches at the front. The last stretch often by drones. Just add hot water and dinner is ready.

Many people were working there, and we peeked into a room where a group of retired ladies were peeling carrots. Much of the ingredients are donated by local farmers. They needed a metal table to work at. Mattias sorted that out immediately and gave them €300.

Late evening our train left for Chernihiv.