I was the head of the Humanitarian Center “Here to Help” of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. For me the beginning of the war is associated with the fact that people began to leave Donetsk. This was in early May to mid-May 2014. This was the first sign. And it then became more distinct in July, when the military entered Donetsk from Slovyansk.

When we delivered the humanitarian aid, we often visited places that are close to the contact line. I remember the shelling. Daytime shelling is especially terrible because during the day people do something in their vegetable gardens, go somewhere, go for shopping, for example. This is probably one of the most terrible memories.

Before I started working at the Humanitarian Center “Here to Help”, I worked at the Donbass Arena stadium. I used to see a large number of people who came to watch football, to take part in various events and celebrations. While working at the Humanitarian Center, I saw a large number of people coming for help. This is a very striking contrast. It is about hope in their eyes, about the understanding that they were not left alone.

Thanks to this help, people knew that they were not left alone, one to one with their trouble. They knew that we would come to them regularly, would help them, and would give them those food packages. They knew they would be provided with food.

Because of the [military] conflict, I had to move, to change the place of work and the place of residence. I learned more about people. As I said, I used to see people when they would come for celebrations, but then I saw how people look when the trouble struck. I saw that trouble, misfortune levels all men, a pensioner, a young specialist, a child, and an old man. And it can affect anyone, can place anyone in discomfort. This is a woe.

I dream to see this conflict to be over, so that we could visit the Donbass Arena, could go to a football match, could return and visit our home grounds.

I wish there was always a peaceful sky overhead.