Championing Nonprofits Supporting Ukraine
At Spotlight Ukraine, we’re dedicated to keeping Ukraine in the spotlight by sharing stories of resilience, advocating for vital causes, and supporting the preservation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and cultural identity. A vital part of this effort is highlighting and amplifying the work of nonprofit organizations making a difference. From emergency aid initiatives to preserving culture and heritage, we have highlighted various nonprofits dedicated to Ukraine’s fight to preserve freedom and sovereignty. Recently, we were introduced to the inspiring work of Leleka Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded to support frontline medics who are saving lives on Ukraine’s front lines. Their contributions in these critical times embody resilience and compassion in action.
Meet Leleka Foundation: A Lifeline for Ukraine’s Medics
Founded in December 2014 amidst the onset of Russia’s aggression in Crimea, Leleka Foundation was born out of the collective effort of Ukrainian expatriates in the United States and volunteers on the ground in Ukraine. Recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Leleka Foundation has since developed extensive expertise in tactical combat care and emergency trauma supplies. With the full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022, the Foundation’s focus sharpened, emphasizing the swift delivery of essential medical supplies to frontline medics and hospitals.
Steadfast Leadership Behind Leleka Foundation
Leading Leleka Foundation in the United States is Vadym Geshel (shown left), while Leleka-Ukraine is headed by Iryna Huk (shown right).
Iryna began her work in the field of tactical medicine as a volunteer in 2014 and has since been recognized with numerous honors. That same year, she was awarded the Order of Princess Olga III degree for her dedication. This is a Ukrainian state honor awarded to women for their outstanding achievements in public, cultural, and economic activities, as well as significant contributions to the education, health, or spiritual upliftment of the nation. It is one of the highest civilian awards presented to women in Ukraine and is named after Princess Olga, a significant historical figure who ruled in the 10th century. More recently, in August 2023, she received the Presidential award “National Legend of Ukraine, and was later awarded the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine badge “For Assistance to the Army.”
Focused Projects: A Lifeline for Ukraine’s Front Lines
Leleka Foundation’s projects revolve around first aid, evacuation, and definitive care of war casualties in Ukraine. As the country bravely fights Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion, Leleka’s global team works tirelessly to save as many lives as possible. With over $9 million raised since February 2022 through donations from individuals, businesses, and nonprofits worldwide, the Foundation remains one of the only volunteer-run charities primarily focused on medical support for Ukraine.
Tactical First Aid Supplies: The Core of Leleka’s Mission
A central pillar of Leleka Foundation’s work is the provision of high-quality, modern tactical first-aid supplies to Ukrainian defenders, field doctors, and emergency teams. This mission encompasses equipping medics with individual first aid kits, fully stocked medical backpacks, and other rare and essential devices needed to address the complex injuries sustained on the battlefield. Shown below is the assembly and packing of the vital medical backpacks.
Each medical backpack is carefully designed to save over 10 lives by treating all major types of combat trauma. In many cases, field medics are the only source of medical help for civilians caught in the war zone. Leveraging longstanding relationships with suppliers in the U.S. and Europe, Leleka can rapidly procure and deliver these critical supplies. Their well-established logistics system ensures that medical kits reach those who need them on the front lines within just 1.5 to 2 weeks.
Medical Evacuation Vehicles: A Race Against Time
In the chaos of war, the ability to transport critically injured individuals to medical facilities within the “Golden Hour” can mean the difference between life and death. The Golden Hour rule—widely recognized in emergency medicine—suggests that trauma patients have the highest chance of survival if they can reach surgical care within the first hour after injury. For those on Ukraine’s front lines, reaching this critical window poses immense challenges due to road conditions, ongoing battles, and the remoteness of many locations.
Recognizing this, Leleka Foundation launched the “Medevac for Ukraine” project, which focuses on securing ambulances and specialized off-road vehicles capable of withstanding the harsh realities of war.
The Foundation carefully sources vehicles in Europe, refurbishes them, and outfits them with essential medical equipment before transferring them to frontline units stationed in the hottest spots in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. These modified vehicles are tailored to navigate difficult terrains and provide lifesaving evacuation support where regular ambulances are unable to operate.
Hospital Equipment: Critical Support for Overwhelmed Hospitals
Amid the scale and brutality of ongoing Russian attacks, Ukrainian hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties, many of whom suffer from severe bombing and shelling injuries. To address this urgent need, the Leleka Foundation works directly with hospitals to assess their equipment requirements and provide critical medical devices.
This support includes essential supplies such as vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) devices for wound management, portable ultrasound and X-ray machines for diagnostics, and a range of surgical supplies. The Foundation often collaborates with partner organizations to secure these devices, ensuring that hospitals can continue to provide life-saving care amid the unrelenting war.
Stronger Together: Collaborative Projects for Greater Impact
In the face of immense challenges, Leleka Foundation recognizes that collaboration is key to amplifying its impact. By working with other organizations, they can address a broader range of needs and extend their reach to the most critical areas. Their partnerships are built on a shared mission of saving lives and delivering urgent medical support where needed most. Here are three key initiatives demonstrating the power of collaboration.
IME Partnership: Critical Equipment for Hospitals in Ukraine
Ukrainian hospitals are currently overwhelmed with wounded patients and face severe shortages of modern equipment to treat bombing and shelling injuries. To tackle this challenge, Leleka Foundation partners with The Institute for Emergency Medicine in Poland (IME) to procure essential items for basic emergency treatment. Through this partnership, the Foundation focuses on providing critical supplies, such as X-ray machines, orthopedic consumables, and surgical supplies, to hospitals in dire need. Every donation made to this initiative goes directly toward purchasing these lifesaving devices for Ukrainian hospitals.
Backpack of Life: Financial and Organizational Support from EPAM Ukraine
The “Backpack of Life” project stands as a testament to Leleka Foundation’s commitment to frontline medics. Made possible through generous financial and organizational support from EPAM Ukraine, the initiative focuses on equipping medics with advanced medical backpacks. In 2024, EPAM Ukraine allocated $300,000 to purchase and equip 300 medical backpacks, expected to save approximately 3,000 lives.
In addition to equipping medics, this project includes an educational campaign aimed at raising awareness among civilians about the crucial role medics play in war and the importance of first aid. The campaign’s ambassadors—renowned medical professionals and instructors—are often featured in media and social network publications, highlighting their expertise and dedication.
Generators for Healthcare Facilities: A Partnership with the Yellow Blue Force Foundation
As the war continues, Russian forces have intensified their attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, leaving hospitals to face intermittent outages that threaten patient safety. In response, Leleka Foundation has partnered with the Yellow Blue Force Foundation to supply electrical power generators to local hospitals in cities across Ukraine. These autonomous generators are critical in maintaining essential healthcare services amid frequent disruptions. By ensuring that hospitals have a reliable power source, the Foundation is helping safeguard outpatient facilities, emergency care, and other critical health services.
Looking Ahead: Addressing Future Needs in a Post-War Ukraine
As Leleka Foundation continues to respond to the immediate needs of war-torn communities, they are also preparing for the long-term challenges Ukraine will face in the years to come. One of their key focus areas is supporting soldiers as they transition from the battlefield back to civilian life. Recognizing that Ukraine has not experienced war on this scale in decades, the Foundation understands the critical need for specialized programs to address post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological traumas. Leleka aims to develop and implement support initiatives to help soldiers and their families find stability and healing. Additionally, the Foundation is working on projects dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged and sick children in Ukraine. By planning and preparing for these future needs, Leleka Foundation is committed to creating a stronger, healthier, and more resilient Ukraine beyond the war.
Impact and Achievements
The numbers tell a powerful story of Leleka Foundation’s impact. Since February 24, 2022, through May 2024, the Foundation has delivered:
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- 131,889 tourniquets
- 9,041 fully equipped medic backpacks
- Over 18,000 individual first-aid kits
- 2,393 stretchers for rapid evacuation
- 43 specially outfitted medical vehicles
- 34 anti-drone electronic warfare devices to protect evacuation vehicles
Beyond the numbers, Leleka Foundation’s strategic focus on first aid, evacuation, and definitive care has positioned them as a lifeline for those on the front lines. Their ongoing projects, such as the #HeatUpHope campaign, which provides self-heating blankets for wounded individuals awaiting evacuation, demonstrate a commitment to innovative and impactful solutions.
A Call to Learn More and Support
Leleka Foundation’s unwavering efforts exemplify the courage, resilience, and compassion of Ukraine and its people. With every project, partnership, and new initiative, Leleka remains focused on delivering life-saving support to those who need it. As the war rages on, their work is far from finished. To make a real difference in the lives of soldiers, medics, and civilians, we hope you’ll consider contributing to Leleka Foundation’s vital initiatives. Every donation, large or small, helps provide urgent medical support and reinforces Ukraine’s fight for freedom and humanity.
To learn more or contribute, visit Leleka Foundation’s website. Your support can be a lifeline for those defending Ukraine’s future.