Content warning – explicit invasion related content
I just got home from Poland a couple of days ago. I’m exhausted and struggling to process all the hellish stories I heard during my time at our herbal space. An incredible Ukrainian herbalist has been able to take over so I’ve been able to come back and focus on medicine making and fundraising.
In the first 6 days of our herbal space, we distributed more than 3,500 medicines to refugees fleeing russia’s genocidal invasion of Ukraine. Medicines have also been distributed in Ukraine itself.
We have heard many stories of life under shelling, in bomb shelters and escape from violent occupation. People have burst into tears when seeing Valerian tincture. I’ve had old men stand at the table and sob and shake. Everyone has asked for support with distress and sleep. Many people have aching muscles, coughs and colds after arduous journeys.
We are distributing various tinctures like valerian, skullcap, hawthorn and rose, as well as immune tonics, cough syrup, nutritive and nervous system teas, lavender oil and muscle rubs. With herbal safety leaflets in 4 different languages.
I knew there was a huge herbal medicine tradition in Ukraine but the demand and valuing of the medicines and space have blown my mind. I thought we’d have enough for months but here we are, almost entirely out of medicine.
The crowdfunder has now been raised to £36k. To be honest, even with that amount it would be a drop in the ocean of how much we could distribute! We want to get more medicines into Ukraine as well as at our space meeting refugees on buses. A refugee told us that Valerian sold out on day three of the invasion.
I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has donated so far and organised fundraisers. The solidarity and self-organisation are the only glimmers of hope after 8 hours a day of listening to people’s stories of stepping over dead bodies in the street, having their homes bombed, hiding in basements and dealing with the grief and loss of family members killed or left behind to fight.
Please keep donating – https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ukraine-herbal-solidarity
Please keep resisting the invasion and genocide.
If anyone can help organise mass medicine making please get in touch at ukraineherbalsolidarity@protonmail.com.
Here is the updated project page – https://solidarityapothecary.org/ukraine-herbal-solidarity/
People have wept seeing the medicines. They are needed. Your funds and support made this possible. But this is really only the start.
