Contribution to victory: how Ukrainian politician and investor Vadym Stolar helps the state and people during the war
Current socio-economic condition of Ukraine
A year and a half after the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia continues to terrorize the Ukrainian civilian population, destroying peaceful cities and infrastructure. Vadym Stolar, a Ukrainian politician, takes a direct part in solving the humanitarian disaster in the country and calls to join this process.
According to official data, 8.6 million citizens were forced to go abroad since the beginning of the war. More than 5 million people became forced migrants, left without housing and, unfortunately, most of them – without work.
Ukraine’s economy is suffering terrible losses. GDP according to the results of 2022 fell by 29.1%. At the same time, the unemployment rate in Ukraine last year was 25-30%, which is almost three times higher than in 2021.
Reconstruction of Ukraine after the war, repair of energy facilities, roads, and bridges damaged by Russian shelling, according to World Bank estimates, will cost 411 billion dollars. And we have to look at things soberly, realizing that as long as the war continues, this amount will only grow.
How Vadym Stolar helps people during the war
Even in such difficult times, there are citizens in Ukraine who are ready to take responsibility and help other people. Charitable foundations, volunteer groups and associations are functioning. One of these foundations was founded by Vadym Stolar.
“Our family has been involved in charity for more than 10 years. The COVID-19 pandemic became a powerful impetus for the stimulation of charitable activities. It was during this period – in March 2020 – that my family and I founded the Vadym Stolar Charitable Foundation and helped the population and medical institutions in providing the necessary equipment and medicines, ventilators, and personal protective equipment. And with the beginning of Russian aggression, already in February 2022, our Foundation completely changed the direction of activity – and began to master new areas for itself”, – said Vadym Stolar.
From the beginning, the charity Foundation focused on two main directions: helping the military protecting Ukraine from the invaders, and helping civilians who suffered from hostilities.
In particular, for the needs of the army, Vadym Stolar, through his Foundation, transferred a significant amount of ammunition and equipment, including high-tech equipment. Namely:
- 37,110 units of military equipment, tools and clothing,
- 30,240 units of medicines,
- 380 units of quadcopters, anti-drone systems, thermal imagers, video cameras, motor boats and other high-tech equipment and machinery,
- 40 units of specialized SUVs and armored cars.
In addition, the Foundation provides military families with their own housing and implements a number of social projects for them.
Immediately after the explosion of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station, the Vadym Stolar Foundation began the purchase and transfer of motor boats to the units involved in the rescue operation.
And within the framework of programs to support the civilian population, the Foundation’s volunteers brought drinking water and food to the south of Ukraine, where the destruction of the HPP caused a real catastrophe, and provided the victims with the necessary assistance.
“Civilians and their problems have also been the focus of our Foundation since the beginning of open Russian aggression. And if at first it was mainly hot meals, food and medicine, then later the range of assistance expanded due to various social and humanitarian projects. Because talking with people, we realized that they need not only physical, but also emotional support, relaxation, and psychological help,” Vadym Stolar emphasized.
The largest project is the psycho-emotional rehabilitation program “Recover”, the 4th season of which was already held in the spring. During the week, families who lost one of their parents in the war, as well as those who lost their homes, had the opportunity to undergo a psychological rehabilitation program free of charge. A total of 700 Ukrainians have already had the opportunity to undergo such rehabilitation in the Ukrainian Carpathians, which are located in the west of the country and are currently one of its safest regions.
In addition, projects of the Vadym Stolar Foundation, such as “Sport in the Neighborhood”, which engages citizens of Kyiv to participate in outdoor sports under the supervision of qualified trainers, are aimed at emotional support of Ukrainians of all ages. Football tournament for children of Kyiv region, which the Foundation held last year and which was preceded by training of IDP children in a professional environment. Excursions in Kyiv, where forced migrants get to know the history and beauty of the capital of Ukraine.
Among other social projects: the organization of holidays and gifts for children, as well as a program of psychological support from certified specialists.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Vadym Stolar, together with the Foundation, has provided the population with:
- 613,980 portions of hot meals
- 284,300 food sets
- 117,220 units of household appliances, medicines and hygiene products
Also in April of this year, the Vadym Stolar Foundation launched a grant program for the implementation of projects to support the military and Ukrainians affected by the war.
“For the first time, the Foundation implemented such a project – a competition among public organizations to receive a grant. Our goal was to provide financial support to associations able to help wounded fighters and civilians affected by war. The idea is to scale up activities aimed at supporting Ukrainians through cooperation with other charitable organizations. Because we understand that there are many foundations in Ukraine with already developed connections, logistics, and a volunteer team – and from our side, we are ready to extend a helping hand to them and support them in their activities. After launching the grant program and receiving more than 100 applications, we concluded that most of the projects submitted to the competition are aimed at rehabilitating the military and providing food aid to citizens. In the end, the winners were projects related to the recovery of military personnel after injury. They were the ones who received UAH 1,000,000 from the Foundation,” Vadym Stolar noted.
It is worth mentioning that, among other things, he is one of the key benefactors of the international “Future for Ukraine” Foundation, which helps victims of the war, in particular, takes care of families who had to leave Ukraine with their children, and is also a patron of the program “Prosthetics of military personnel abroad”, under which already eight defenders of Ukraine have passed the prosthetics and rehabilitation program with complex cases of amputation. Prosthetics of the military takes place in Washington, USA, and in Malta.
In general, since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Russia, according to published reports, the Vadym Stolar Charitable Foundation, together with its founder, has directed 9.5 million euros to charity.
“Work for the future – recovery of Ukraine”, – Vadym Stolar
It is worth noting that Vadym Stolar is known not only as a philanthropist, but also as a politician and a successful investor. Only during the last war year, he paid taxes in the amount of UAH 24.5 million, thus supporting the financial system of the warring country.
As a People’s Deputy, Vadym Stolar works in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as a member of the “Recovery of Ukraine” parliamentary group.
In particular, he is one of the authors of the draft bill aimed at supporting graduates of educational institutions from among orphans and children deprived of parental care. And also – the draft bill on granting the status of “child of war” to the relevant children who lived or live in the areas of hostilities.
Separately, the parliamentarian mentions a draft bill designed to cancel charges for utilities without actually providing them – and thus restore justice for Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes to save their lives.
“My colleagues and I believe in the victory of Ukraine and understand that the most responsible and difficult task after that will be the post-war reconstruction of the country mutilated by the enemy. We united to help people together now and lay a solid foundation for rebuilding after our Victory,” Vadym Stolar emphasized.
