I have always tried to stay away from controversial topics such as politics and religion let alone discuss these topics on social media or professional networks. But today I cannot stay silent. My country, my home, my people, and my friends and family are under attack. It is a war against our independent sovereign Ukraine and a war against people who have no choice but to be involved and harmed by this conflict.

Most people would describe me as having a strong and focussed personality, but these two weeks I was the opposite of my usual self. Restless and exhausted, my body was shaking and I could not help crying. I have so many reasons to cry:

- It is my 87 year old grandpa, the most caring and kindest man I know, who has always been my example of a truly honest person. He was born in 1935 and raised by a single mum with two younger siblings, his hardly remembers his father who never came back from the Second World War. His childhood coincided with the hardest period of history: war, poverty and famine. His life started with war, I can’t let it end with war. I spoke to him yesterday morning and morally died there when in trembled voice he asked me if it’s true that Russians invaded our land, he just can’t believe this is happening.

- It is Mom who could have escaped but stayed because of her grandparents, they won’t survive on their own. She is there, with two elders, dog and a cat, sitting in the basement of the house as my hometown is being shelled.

- It is my dearest uni friend who is 4 months pregnant, just out of hospital where she spent the last two weeks due to risk of miscarriage, who had to say goodbye to her husband who decided to join local self defence units.

- It is my other girlfriend who ran away from her apartment, middle of the night, awakened by the sound of shots. In pyjamas and Ugg boots, followed by tanks, she made it to the subway station and is there since then, sleeping on the floor, no blanket.

- It is my husband’s cousin and her family, who left everything behind in 2014 when they had to urgently escape from eastern regions of Ukraine. And now the story repeats. My little niece Vira (means “belief” in Ukrainian) who starts to shake when she hears word “war” and she’s 8.

- It is the guy I dated in high school who called me on Friday morning out of the blue, long time no chat. He got stuck in Berlin (business trip) with no way to get back, his wife and 9 month old kid are in Kyiv, no help available. He was going through his phone book from A to Z trying to find someone who can take them away from the capital, to the border with Poland.

- It is my other friend who has just disappeared from the radar and does not return the calls. He lives close to one of the strategic objects which were under attack last night. Is he alive? I don’t know.

I have been feeling so helpless, so hopeless. I cried, went for a walk, ate not feeling the taste, cried again. But then I said to myself, tears won’t solve anything. I need to act and do what I can for my family, my friends, my people over there. My first temptation was to jump on the plane and go back to Ukraine, get to Kyiv and fight. But I’m too practical and realistic right? I’m not Angelina Jolie’s movie character who just naturally knows how to fight. I have no background or skills that would help me last the battle. My boss here in Australia would remember a team bonding event when he took the team for shooting and I was the only one who hit zero times. So I started thinking if there is something I can do from here to help. And yes, I can. I can spread the word, I can ask people for their support.

It's time for action, let’s help those who need our help.

Even just $10 – a couple of coffees here in Australia – will go a long way for those in need.

To put this into context, $10 in Ukraine is a:
- loaf of bread, a carton of milk, and a tray of sausages (food enough for someone’s grandma to make it through a couple of days),
- it is the cost of a first aid kit.

All donations will be distributed between my friends based on the priority of needs for each. Most of them lost their jobs, and some - their homes.

So stand with us, help the innocent, and swap your takeaway coffees for a donation today.
However, don’t swap your coffee chats – please tell your colleagues about your donation and help share our purpose and increase the benefit to those in need.