Fitness Marathon gathered kind-hearted people with the aim to help HIV-positive children relocated from the conflict zone

With at least 100 UAH donation everyone could get e-pass, to visit any master class of leading fitness instructors of Ukraine during the day. In the fitness marathon program were free classes on functional training, aerobics, dance, pilates. It was unique opportunity for Kiev crowd to join charity activities and to try various types of fitness training in one day. For the instructors (who were competing with each other to be invited), this event gave the chance to express their position and support kids relocated from the eastern part of Ukraine.

All funds raised were given to families with HIV-positive children who moved to Kiev and spent on necessary clothes, food for infants and medicines.

Partners: TRX, Akademija Fitnesa, Body Art, the Active Leisure Club Podol'skij, Fitness-Club Al'pijskij, Fitness Center Sofijskij, the network of fitness clubs Sport Life, WOW Body Fit&Food, OxigenWorkout, Sport&Spa attended the event.

Supporting people affected by conflict in Eastern Ukraine

Eastern Ukraine became an epicenter of the recent military crisis. With the rise of unemployment, average income failed dramatically. Its all complicated by reduced funding for HIV/AIDS projects from state and international donors, prices for medication went up (as per NGO’ record – up to 300%), most of the tenders were delayed, in some cities in eastern Ukraine government funding was terminated. 

As a result of protracted conflict, infrastructure of services for people with HIV/AIDS is destructing at a great rate. Effects of this process will be prolonged for many years.

As a response to the political and economical crisis ANTIAIDS Foundation joined forces with partner’ organizations to refocus projects to restore the system of services for people with HIV/AIDS.

On June 10, Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation in partnership with the Charitable Foundation “Patients of Ukraine” (UCAB) started fundraising for specialized orphanage in Makeyevka, where kids born to HIV-positive mothers reside. To support the cause, donation can be made directly to the web site or via website – www.fashion-aid.in.ua where new t-shirts UKRAINE. FUCK CORRUPTION are already on sale. Print’ idea belongs to our colleagues from UCAB and new photos from HIV/AIDS activists are already in the social media.

All funds raised will be used to help 62 abandoned children born to HIV-positive mothers from Makeyevka Orphanage. 22 of these infants receive antiretroviral therapy and need special care. The daily amount necessary for one child only for medicines is 13.46 UAH. In reality, the amount allocated from the budget for this purpose, is only 1.46 UAH. For adequate nutrition per day per kid it is needed to spend 36.8 UAH. In fact, only 18.95 UAH is financed from the budget.

The current problem of the Makeyevka Orphanage is not only to recoup this difference. They need to fundraise in the region affected by the military conflict. And every day Makeyevka’ orphanage’ staff go to work with the fear that at one point they would find themselves without money, without funding or without donors. Therefore, when someone orders this T-shirt, its not only about your position, it’s about saving lives of children!

On August, 12 Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation donated modern Immunoenzymometric Analyser to the Main Military Clinical Hospital in Kiev, which allows testing large amounts of blood quickly and reliably. Tested blood is essential for providing emergency medical treatment for soldiers, injured during the war. This means that patients will be secured from the possible risk of hepatitis and HIV infection in the course of the donor-specific transfusion. The need for this procedure is growing every day. In the near future the same analyser will be transferred to a military hospital in Kharkov.

New equipment, that costs 36 thousand dollars, makes it possible to carry out up to 200 blood tests per hour for more than 30 infections, including hepatitis and HIV infection, to determine tumour markers and allergens, to identify autoimmune and systemic diseases. A feature of this equipment is that the tests are carried out automatically compare to the manual method that hospital was practicing before. This significantly reduces the probability of false results, shortens testing time and allows efficiently process large amount of blood samples. Using the analyser additional supplies of special active storage are not required; reagents and test systems from any manufacturer can be used. In addition, this equipment have wide application in daily work of any hospital.

Children relocated from the Eastern Ukraine were granted with two weeks vacation in Bucha by Victor and Elena Pinchuk.

On August, 25 35 children and 11 parents, were taken to children's holiday camp in Bucha to recover after several months in a military conflict zone and months of terrible existence in industrial premises in the territory of one of the capital factories.

For the children and their parents it was an opportunity to spend a few weeks in conditions that are not comparable with those in which they have lived the last few months.

The camp, which is situated on 13 acres of forest in one of the resort villages of Kiev region, welcomed children with hospitality. The active program of recreation and entertainment - starting with games and competitions and finishing with the "squirrel hunting" and swimming in the open-air swimming pool – were prepared for them.

ANTIAIDS Foundation, in cooperation with partners initiated fundrasing for HIV-positive children relocated from Eastern Ukraine.

Today, government funding of the Makeyevka Orphanage for children born to HIV-positive mothers is completely stopped. ANTIAIDS Foundation makes all possible to prevent the negative impact on the quality of life and health of these children. Children were moved to Kramatorsk, and under support of the ANTIAIDS Foundation, doctors and teachers from Makeyevka can continue their work.