Our Team
Matthijs Hage
Dutch
Student of the BA International Studies and the BSc Economics
Rotterdam, Netherlands
My reason to join:
Coming back from my first journey to Ukraine in 2024, I wanted to do more for Ukraine and was fortunate to meet the amazing people that turned into the team we are today.
Fondest memory:
During our stay in Kyiv, we were invited to a traditional Ukrainian dinner with some amazing people. After the dinner, we drove around Kyiv in the car while our hosts showed us the city. For me, this was a very emotional and beautiful moment.
Giovanni Gargiulo
Italian
Student of the BA International Studies
The Hague, Netherlands
My reason to join:
I joined as a driver before the project took its current shape because I felt I could do my little part. I then met a team of incredibly sensitive and motivated people and decided to stay despite the many difficulties we had to overcome (and for the plot!).
Fondest memory:
I remember going to Amsterdam for the car pick up and changing the license plates for international export. That day with Matthijs we look at each other while driving back to The Hague and realised that after months of preparations, the mission was about to commence. It was the day before our mission to Ukraine: the air in the car was electric!
Yamal van Oordt
German
Student of the MA International Relations: Global Political Economy and the MA Development Studies and Diplomacy
The Hague, Netherlands
My reason to join:
It felt somewhat natural to become part of a group of fellow students that are looking for ways to express their need and desire to do good. This materialized in the creation of this organization, doing our small part in making the lives of some Ukrainians terrorized by war ever so slightly better. No more reason is needed I think.
My fondest memory:
It is not characterized by happy emotions, but my most cherished memory is standing in front of the memorial of fallen soldiers at the Independence Square in Kyiv and finally feeling the emotional weight and consequence that the war has brought upon people not only from Ukraine but from all over the world. This has helped me and us all to realize the tip of the iceberg that is this war, and what this horror means outside of the statistics that reach us in Europe.
Melek Knaus
Austrian
Student of the BSc Security Studies
The Hague, Netherlands
My reason to join:
Every day we are reminded of the destruction and pain caused by Russia in Ukraine, Europe’s first line of defence and strongest shield against tyranny. In Leiden I met amazing, engaged Ukrainians, some fighting on the front line, others building drones and helping recovering veterans, so when I saw the opportunity to take action, I took it immediately. Knowing a country is suffering and having the sense that there is something, no matter how small, that you can do to help is very important to all of us. It was not without trial and error that we became the organisation we are now and made it to Ukraine in mission 2, but talking to volunteers and active Military has motivated us all to continue supporting them and Ukraine as best as we can.
Our Team
Eden Mehldau
Dutch/US-American
Student of the BA International Studies
The Hague, Netherlands
Fondest memory:
My favorite memory is meeting my friends and colleagues after one of our first missions, and the feeling of completion, renewal, and excitement over the potential of what was to come.
Nikita Chepkevych
Ukrainian
Student of the MA Economics and Strategy in Emerging Markets
Maastricht, Netherlands
My reason to join:
To make things happen.
Fondest memory:
A team meeting after the second trip, coming with realisation of accomplishent.