The way of a volunteer: 6 tons of food and rescue of animals in dangerous conditions

For almost two years now, Margarita Zhizhko from Kherson has been taking care of stray animals in the frontline city. Now she lives in Odesa, but distance is not an obstacle for her. To provide animals with food, she raises funds, buys the necessary supplies and travels to her native Kherson to refill feeders and feed hungry four-legged animals together with other volunteers. During this time, she managed to collect a total of over 335 thousand hryvnias, which is almost 6 tons of wet and dry food.

She did not want to believe that Kherson was being occupied

Margarita met the beginning of the full-scale invasion in Odesa and immediately decided to go home. When most people were leaving Kherson as far away from the war as possible, she returned, returned to her loved ones and everything dear to her heart that the enemy was about to take away. She realized all the risks, but did not stop. The girl says she was scared, but she went anyway: "Leaving Odesa, passing through Mykolaiv, I saw defensive structures being built, checkpoints being set up, but at the entrance to Kherson, I saw complete darkness. Darkness and an uncharacteristic absence of police officers at a permanent post at the entrance to the city. I didn't know what would happen next. Perhaps I did not want to believe that Kherson would be occupied. And on March 1, the Russians entered the city. That's how I and hundreds of thousands of citizens found themselves under occupation.

Marharyta stayed in the city with her family until April 5, 2022, and then had to decide to leave. Living under occupation meant not having any rights, being in constant tension, and risking being taken to the basement every minute. In addition, Kherson was the only city where no humanitarian or green corridors had been opened, which complicated the situation many times over.

"We hesitated for a long time to leave or not. People were finding ways to leave on their own, traveling at their own risk, but unfortunately, many convoys were shot. Every day we monitored local chats, where those who had left told us which way they were going, that they were checking whether they were allowed to leave or not, but still there was no certainty that you would be released. You were not sure if you would be shot or hit by artillery," she says.

Despite the hesitation and danger, they decided to try their luck and left through Snihurivka. They left on April 6 at 5:30 am in a convoy from the now occupied Fabrika shopping center. Margarita notes that the road was difficult physically, but even more so mentally: "We did not know whether we would be released and whether we would get there alive, the Russians were hiding behind civilian convoys to drive their equipment away. They knew that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would not attack civilians. That day, they did not let us go, and held a convoy of almost a thousand vehicles, with children and sick people, for about 6 hours in the middle of the steppe. At the same time, neighboring Mykolaiv was being shelled. We passed through 7 enemy checkpoints, where they forced us to undress, searched for patriotic tattoos, checked our phones, belongings, and documents. At the same time, they told us that they would not allow us to call them occupiers because they were here to save us."

November 11 is the happiest day in her life

Marharyta considers the day of Kherson's liberation to be perhaps the happiest day of her life. Finally, her unconquered city could breathe freely. But the trials did not end there. Soon, the enemy began shelling mercilessly from the left bank.

"When I went to the news feed, I cried with happiness because I remember every day, every rally in occupied Kherson, and how Kherson residents heroically resisted the invaders, demonstrating that they were not welcome here. For all this, the enemy is still taking revenge on Kherson with round-the-clock shelling," Margarita says.

Due to the constant shelling, she decided to come to Kherson only in early April 2023. She says she traveled all the streets dear to her heart, cried and looked at her wounded city, which she had missed for so long.

Kherson now. Photo provided by the interviewee

Hungry, dehydrated and abandoned

When Margarita first came to Kherson after her release, she had a small supply of food with her. She has loved animals since she was a little girl, so wherever she goes, she always takes treats in case she meets them. She did the same during the occupation near her home. Driving through the streets of the city, she says she was shocked by the number and, most importantly, the condition of the animals: "There were hundreds of them - hungry, dehydrated and abandoned. My heart was breaking. So when I returned to Odesa, I thought for a long time about how I could help. That's when I decided to open a collection."

The goal of Margarita's first collection was 15 thousand hryvnias, which, according to the girl, seemed unrealistic at the time. After all, the funds were primarily used to help Ukrainian defenders and war-affected Ukrainians. However, in a few days, the bank accumulated a completely unexpected amount of 44 thousand hryvnias. This motivated and gave them confidence. In total, the Kherson residents managed to raise and do a lot during their volunteering.

"From April 2023 to July 2024, I managed to raise UAH 334,984 to help animals, which is almost 6 tons of dry and wet food together. This food was used to fill feeders around the city or handed over to people who also feed animals in certain neighborhoods," the volunteer summarizes.

Marharyta Zhyzhko with help for animals in Kherson. Photo provided by the interviewee

The girl raises funds exclusively on social media. On her Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages, she posts her trips with reports every time so that people understand that their money was used strictly for the intended purpose. She says she is very grateful to her friends who always help by opening auxiliary banks for collecting money and organizing charity drawings, regardless of where they are. Everyone wants to make an effort to save the most vulnerable residents of Kherson.

Margarita Zhyzhko. Photo provided by the interviewee

As soon as the collection closes, Margarita immediately goes to her city. Usually it takes 3-4 months. Unfortunately, the volunteer notes, she can't go more often because the collection has slowed down. The last visit was in late summer. According to the girl, the situation in Kherson was difficult then, and now it is even worse. Now drones are flying non-stop over every district of the city, the enemy is dropping explosives directly on people, cars, houses, and public places. And if the occupiers recognize a volunteer, a soldier or just people who help others by any elements of clothing, they are undoubtedly the primary target.

"During my previous visits, I always wore a bulletproof vest. For the next trip, I have not yet decided whether to wear it or not. I realize that wearing it makes me an immediate target for the occupiers. It's scary every time, but it calms me down and keeps me focused on the desire to help and save those who depend on us and the fact that people are waiting for me there. Brave, beautiful, sensual and unbreakable people with whom we fully share this path of help," says Margarita.

It is very valuable to know that you have like-minded people

According to Margarita, unfortunately, the local authorities in Kherson do not help stray animals and the people who take care of them. This was a problem even before the war. And although last year Kherson MVA started working on creating an appropriate program for animal treatment in the city, the situation remains difficult. So far, the only people who care about them and help them survive in those extremely difficult frontline conditions are caring people and volunteers. Our interlocutor emphasizes that there are fortunately many of them. That's why, as soon as someone responds to her appeals on social media, she is always touched, happy, and immediately tries to help.

"Once I was asked to help with food by people who had taken many animals from the territory of a Kherson hospital. They came with a wheelbarrow, thanked me, and walked home with the food, through half of the Tavriysky neighborhood. Such moments touch you to tears. Despite all the horrors of life in the city, they retain their humanity and have the strength to help animals. Everything rests on such people," says the volunteer.

When these people consolidate their efforts, they can do a lot. Margarita recalls how they managed to save the animals on June 6, after the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station was blown up. Then she and other concerned Kherson residents went to evacuate animals near Antonivskyi Bridge. At that moment, they were not stopped by the rapidly approaching water or by two nearby airplanes. That's when dogs and a cat with newborn kittens got a chance to live. That evening they were taken to Odesa, where they later found new owners.

To her delight, the girl says, the circle of her like-minded people continues to grow. In particular, during this time she has met many local volunteers. Some of them set up feeders for stray animals, so Margarita has been working with them for a long time. Others turn to her for help on social media, while others simply recognize her on the streets of Kherson and join her.

"Every time new caring people are added who feed the animals every day, spending their own money on it. They need help and support, so I never refuse because I know they are honest. The only thing I can thank this war for is the people who appeared in my life. It is very valuable to know that you have like-minded people," says the Kherson woman.

For a long time, Margarita did not recognize herself as a volunteer. She says she just helped at the call of her heart, because she can't and doesn't want to do anything else. Since childhood, she has always dreamed of opening her own animal shelter. The current situation in Kherson only convinces her of its necessity. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to realize this dream in the realities of a frontline city, but the volunteer believes that one day she will realize her plans. In the meantime, she continues to do what she can at this stage, because she has a large number of people who support and help her, without whom, she says, it would be simply impossible to raise such amounts and save so many animals. Margarita's sixth collection is currently underway to provide the four-legged animals with food during the cold winter period. So everyone can join the good cause.

Анна Шаповал