February 1, 2024
News
Would you like to know more about Caritas Czech Republic? We have launched a series of interviews with our colleagues who will tell you more about our work across the world. Meet Nataliia Kozachuk, the country programme coordinator for Ukraine.
You are originally from Ukraine. How long have you been working at Caritas Czech Republic, and why did you decide to work here?
You are right, I am originally from Ukraine, but in the first months of the war, my native city and my native home were destroyed. I was forced to escape the country with my son. When I arrived, I started thinking about how to help Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. I knew I could not help physically in the army. Still, I had experience in the non-governmental sector before, so I decided to search for a position in an organisation that supported Ukraine. I found an offer at Caritas Czech Republic in September 2022, and I was thrilled when I learned I got the job. For me, it is the best way to use my skills and knowledge to help people who remain in Ukraine.
You are working as the country programme coordinator for Ukraine. What does your job consist of?
I coordinate activities between our offices in the Czech Republic and Ukraine. My job involves a lot of interpersonal and intercultural communication between Czech colleagues, ministries, organisations, and Ukrainian partners. I also prepare and fill in documents necessary for some of our activities. In general, my job consists of a lot of diverse tasks. Being a country programme coordinator for Ukraine is not only about coordination but also about meeting new people, finding new ways to expand our projects in Ukraine, and helping more people.
You seem to like this job. What do you enjoy most about your job as a country programme coordinator?
I definitely enjoy this work. One of my favourite things is our results, the fact that we are not doing this work to achieve a strategic goal; we are working to help people. I really believe that we are helping the people in Ukraine, and we do that in different ways. For example, during one of our projects, we offered accommodation to an internally displaced Ukrainian woman in one of the modular houses we built. She saw the work of Caritas Czech Republic from the inside and liked it very much. She decided to contribute by becoming one of our employees in our Ukrainian office. So our actions are not only giving them a home but also work.
You are talking about building modular houses. Can you tell us more details about what Caritas Czech Republic is doing in Ukraine?
We currently have multiple programmes in Ukraine. One is in Transcarpathia, a region in the west of Ukraine with many internally displaced people. Many take refuge in that region because it is far from the frontline. All those people need a new place to stay, and that is why Caritas Czech Republic is building modular houses for them. We target vulnerable families and offer them homes that can host the whole family together, including elderly parents, or other relatives. There is a kitchen, a shower, and a room, everything necessary to give them a new home.
Moreover, we also focus on refurbishing collective sites in Transcarpathia. Collective sites are, for example, ex-dormitories or ex-hospitals that are now used for the accommodation of the internally displaced people. The buildings are often old and in bad condition, so we are refurbishing and installing toilets and showers. Local organisations help us; they donate furniture, electrical appliances, and other elements, helping us make those buildings suitable for living. In total, we are working in one location building modular houses and in twelve locations refurbishing collective sites.
Caritas Czech Republic significantly contributes to building infrastructure for Ukrainians. Are there other ways the organisation is helping people affected by the war?
Yes, we also provide psychosocial support to people who live in our collective sites. With one of our partners, we created a very experienced team of psychologists, and they conduct sessions such as psychotherapy groups for adults and kids in our collective sites.
Caritas Czech Republic is also helping by providing non-food items kits to those who need them in affected areas in the south of Ukraine, such as in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. We have already distributed around 12,000 winterisation kits. Those kits help Ukrainians during the harsh winter; they include things like blankets, mattresses, and pillows. People really appreciate them, and there is a need. We also distribute winter clothes and coal and install windows.
In February 2022, Russia operated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Can you tell us more about coordinating projects in a war-torn country?
I cannot compare how to coordinate projects in a war-torn and peaceful country because all my work in Caritas Czech Republic is related to Ukraine. Since the war started, I have been the country programme coordinator. There are definitely a lot of challenges in everyday work. One of the main challenges we have been facing is blackouts. In a blackout, nothing is working; you cannot sign any document online, turn on your computer, call, or pay the workers or contractors because the banks are also down.
Another challenge is the conscription process. As I told you before, a big part of our projects are linked to construction and refurbishments, but in that field, a lot of the workers are male. Last year, we faced a situation where many builders were conscripted into the army, which impacted the projects. This year, we made arrangements with the local authorities and the donors, so the situation is better.
But despite those challenges, we completed all our projects on time and are very happy with the results.
Have you ever visited the country office in Ukraine?
Yes, I have been to our office in Mukachevo three or four times. I really like our local team. We are planning to expand our presence in Ukraine to help more people. We are considering hiring more staff for our office in Kyiv and opening an office in the eastern part of Ukraine, maybe in Dnipro, one of our priority regions.
You have been working in the organisation for a year and a half. What would you say was your greatest achievement while working at Caritas Czech Republic?
I would say the winterisation project. It is an achievement for me because, after a lot of work, we became partners with the Ukrainian Humanitarian Fund, allowing us to expand our presence in the country and distribute kits to more people in need.
You mentioned that your job is challenging and time-consuming. Is there anything you like to do in your free time to relieve stress?
I love spending time with my son and my dog. We often go on walks all together. It is essential for me to spend some peaceful, quality time with them.
