Auta Ukrainaa: How Finland’s Ukrainian community built a support hub for Ukraine

When Russia initially invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Ukrainian community in Finland established a humanitarian aid service called Auta Ukrainaa (Finnish for “Help Ukraine”). 

Over the past years, this initiative has grown into a major coordination center, raising money from individuals and corporate donors.

The service is free for all donors and organizations. 

What sets it apart is its ability to deliver critically needed materials directly to Ukraine, bypassing Polish logistics hubs. This streamlined approach allows for faster delivery to the most urgent locations. Sergiy Shevchenko, the chief coordinator of the Logistics center, shared insights about the center’s work in a comment to the Ukrainian World Congress.

“Most of our volunteers have been active since 2014, but, like many others, we expanded our efforts significantly after February 2022 [when Russia’s full-blown invasion started]. Thanks to support from the Finnish government, businesses, and citizens, we’ve been able to carry out our projects. We’ve worked with four different warehouses so far, having to relocate several times.

“We’ve sent trucks, vehicles, and [power] generators to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. We also transport a wide range of equipment, including materials from Finnish data centers, to Ukraine. Our success is rooted in the people who make this possible – this is our greatest achievement, the result of collective efforts. Our core logistics team consists of around 30 people, though we are often joined by other volunteers.

“We’ve developed two major initiatives, the second one with help of our Finnish partners. The first is an internal registration system that automates the tracking and inventory process. This allows us to operate from any device – phone, tablet, or computer – and from anywhere in the world. Our aid recipients greatly benefit from this system.

“The second key project is our website,  autaukrainaa.fi/ .

“This site functions like an online store, but without purchasing goods. Donors can select necessary items, create a list, and receive clear instructions on how to send them to us. The site also features an up-to-date list of Ukraine’s needs and allows donors to send shipments for free from any Finnish postal office. All you need to do is go to the post office, provide the code, and send the package to our warehouse.

“Once the shipments arrive, we check them for expiration dates and packaging integrity. Afterward, we repack and register everything in our system. While our shipment volume may be smaller than that of larger organizations, we carefully inspect each delivery to avoid any issues. This is crucial given the risks involved with Finland’s eastern neighbors, with whom we’ve had several challenging situations.

“We maintain strict reporting procedures, which has earned us a solid reputation. Additionally, most of our donations now come from corporate donors rather than individuals.

“Our main goal is to ensure aid is channeled properly. For instance, if we receive car tires, they go to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while beds are sent to hospitals. We personally oversee the loading of shipments, track their delivery, and publish reports. All of this is made possible by our volunteers, who work after their regular jobs, much like other volunteers around the world.

“We receive feedback from Ukraine that confirms the effectiveness of our work, which motivates us to continue. We are all deeply hopeful that we can contribute to Ukraine’s victory.”

During an official visit to Northern European countries earlier this month, Ukrainian World Congress President Paul Grod visited the Logistics center and thanked the team for their ongoing support of Ukraine.