Watermelon Picnic in Peremoga: About the Gatherings We All Need

This coming Saturday, August 29, following Independence Day, we once again visited our longtime friends—the residents of the Home for the Elderly and People with Disabilities in the village of Peremoga in the Kyiv region.

This August trip has already become a tradition for us—a watermelon picnic to celebrate Independence Day. This year, due to the constant shelling and the overall situation, we hesitated until the very last moment about whether we would be able to do this at all. But in the end, we decided: right now, such gatherings are especially needed.

And it took place thanks in part to our regular donors—Ievgen Saveliev and the members of the Brotherhood “NewWorldMen”, who have supported the facility’s residents on more than one occasion. This time, the men brought plenty of watermelons, fresh fruit, sweets, personalized gifts, a supply of long-shelf-life food for the winter, and—during delivery—furniture: tables and chairs. But most importantly, they brought themselves! Because for everyone at Peremoga, simple human connection is vital—and it requires attention, time, and, above all, genuine love for people. Thank you for your ongoing support and for staying by our side.

Usually, our trips to Peremoga also include concerts, music, small celebrations, and entertainment programs. But this time, we deliberately decided to do things differently. Less of a program—more time for one another.

Recently, many new residents have arrived at the facility, including internally displaced persons. We got to know them and listened to their stories: where they came from, what they’ve been through, how they ended up here, how they’re feeling today, and what they need most.

Each person had their own life before the war, their own losses, and their own journey here. We’ll definitely share some of these stories later on. Because these stories aren’t just about tragedy. They’re about the incredible human ability to endure, about strength of spirit, mutual support, and unity—all of which help people get through what sometimes seems impossible to endure.

We finally had more time to spend with those we’ve known for many years. We talked about their lives: what brings them joy today, what worries them, and what they lack. We discussed the past and the present. And we talked about what they’d like to say to us—people of other generations and people living completely different lives.

It’s important to remember that it’s not just elderly people who live here. These are people of all ages and with very different life stories—people with disabilities, serious illnesses, and those who, due to life circumstances, need constant care and support.

For over 30 years now, the facility’s director, Lyubov Leonidovna Orel, has been caring for them alongside her small but heroic team. Every time we visit, we see how much more this means to her than just a job. She knows her residents—their personalities, habits, and needs—and treats them with the same care a mother would show her large family. And every time, she welcomes us just as warmly.

And this time, on the way home, we felt one more thing particularly keenly. We needed this trip just as much as the people we were visiting.

Amid war, anxiety, loss, and the daily need to find the strength within ourselves to work, help, plan, and simply live, it’s very easy one day to feel like you can’t breathe. And then you meet these people. You listen to what they’ve been through. You see their sincerity, their sense of humor, their gratitude for simple things, their courage to keep on living—and it’s as if you can breathe again.

We head to Peremoga, thinking we’re bringing aid there. But we return with so much more. We help one another. By giving, we receive twice, three times—many times more. Perhaps it is precisely these small victories that make up our shared great Victory.

Thank you to all the volunteers who were with us that day, to our donors, and to everyone who continues to help.

Join us. Because today, our presence, our human warmth, and our care for one another matter just as much as any material aid.

Check out the photos here