February 24th. It's a day we were all woken up at 5 a.m. by the terrifying sounds of explosions. The bangs were followed by buzzing and ringing sounds – calls from our loved ones. Our team at LIFT99 Kyiv had been discussing and preparing but mostly fearing this moment.
We had a van parked by the hub, getaway bags packed and ready to go. By 6 o'clock, we were all in front of LIFT99. It was then the dreadful sound of sirens started, echoing through the air as if we were in a WW2 movie, warning us to head to a shelter. Most of the team, Tanya, Katya, Anton and Khristina, our dog Nunnu and 4 of our hub members, hit the road and drove west, saying goodbye to Zeina, who decided to stay in Kyiv with her family.
While things escalated fast, the time seemed to pass in slow-motion, everyone frantically following the catastrophic events unfolding around the country. The next day, heartbroken and angry but full of desire to help, one thing was clear – we must take action.
So here we are. Fundraising for our army. Coordinating different projects: cyber, financial, governmental, between Estonian and Ukrainian founders. We are collecting funds to provide protection gear, aid, food to Kyiv's territorial defenders. We're setting up a project carried out by us and our members abroad who are ready to buy and transport these supplies. We are collecting information and connecting our members who can help each other.