'Restore Moschun Together' - reconstruction in a destroyed village
On February 24, 2022, Russian forces attacked Ukraine. Ukrainian cities became scenes of war crimes and destruction. The civil infrastructure cities and villages was also destroyed in many parts of the country.
The small village of Moshun in the suburbs of Kiev stopped the Russian attack on the capital - at a high price: 85 of the buildings in the village were completely destroyed. Shells left deep craters in many yards and fences were riddled with bullets. There is now no corner in the once picturesque town that has not been damaged. After the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kiev region, the village of Moshun began to recover.
Together with the local authorities, our Ukrainian colleagues from Alternative-V organized an international work camp for recovery and reconstruction assistance in Moshun from July 16 to 30, 2023.
Bastian took part in the camp in Moschun through IBG and describes the experience there as follows:
"We carried out various works in the village, some of which were spontaneously reported as a need by residents. On the first day of work (after a day of getting to know each other) we painted curbs, which the rain later virtually completely wiped out - that perhaps made less sense. After that there was always something to do, heavier physical work in clearing and cleaning up house rubble and damage or lighter work such as painting and preparing a children's playground, everyone was able to contribute according to their preferences and abilities and every work had its meaning.
But the most important aspect of our work was international solidarity, which is a great moral support, especially for residents who are less internet-savvy - they have not been forgotten by the world during the war. This resulted in many positive encounters. Basically, the Workcamp was of a special nature due to the war and was clearly a pilot project. As a result, not everything was perfectly organized and planned, but the effect was even greater."
What impressed Bastian the most? "The resilience of the Ukrainians, the many small encounters and moments. My takeaway from the camp is that even after 14 years of not being in Ukraine, I still have a strong connection to the place."
Peace work through Workcamps
The Workcamp was part of the Erasmus+ project 'Peacebuilding through Workcamps (PEWO)', in which we worked together with our partner organization INEX-SDA in Czech Republic in 2023 to support Workcamps as effective instruments of post-war reconciliation. The aim of the project was to continue to build respect and understanding between nations, which we believe is an essential prerequisite for lasting peace.