On May 22, 2024, we were able to carry out a large transport to Uzhhorod with a Ukrainian articulated truck.
Geladen wurden zahlreiche Hilfsgüter im Wert von über 125‘000 Franken. Von medizinischer Infrastruktur, über Mobiliar für den Neubau in Vil‘shany bis hin zu 60 Transportfahrrädern inklusive 700 kg Fahrrad-Ersatzteile war so ziemlich alles dabei, was man sich vorstellen kann.

But let's start from the beginning. After the NeSTU AGM in March 2024, where the aid transports project was presented to a wider audience for the first time, several people immediately came forward to contribute. It included material worth thousands of francs, which is urgently needed in Ukraine. We were able to store it in temporary storage in Winterthur until we had enough material for a transport.

The partner organization Parasolka also contributed a great deal, such as electric wheelchairs, foldable tables from a parish hall in Stansstad, work tables from a factory in Aarburg and high-quality chairs from a church in Trimbach. The handover of a gynecologist's practice in the canton of Thurgau resulted in additional valuable equipment and infrastructure.

IMG_6450

In addition, 60 transport bicycles, a tandem and two other bicycles had been waiting in Schaffhausen since the beginning of the war to be transported to Ukraine. The already rather frustrated donors kept searching unsuccessfully for an affordable transportation option and a reliable recipient. Nobody dared to transport these brand-new bicycles - for logistical, customs or cost reasons. Or they simply refused to do so because the value and benefits of this cargo were not recognized. A bike like this costs 1,100 francs in the store - you do the math. On the sometimes very bad roads, such robust transport bikes are a blessing and replace the car when it comes to transporting shopping, for example.

 

Nachdem ein weiterer Versuch einer Vergabe an Dritte scheiterte, erklärte sich Pro Ukraïna bereit, das Projek zu übernehmen und hat es in enger Zusammenarbeit mit CAMZ konsequent realisiert, obwohl es logistisch tatsächlich eine Herausforderung war.

In some places, it would not have been possible for an articulated lorry to drive up, which is why the relief supplies had to be transported to collection points suitable for loading using smaller rental vans. For example, an articulated lorry in Schaffhausen on Fischerhäuserstrasse would have paralyzed all traffic, including public transport.

So mussten z.B.  Gewichte und Volumen mit möglichst hoher Genauigkeit ermittelt werden, bevor eine Transportroute festgelegt werden konnte, was einige Fahrten zur Rekognoszierung nötig machte. Wir sind ja auch keine Gratis-Entsorgungsfirma und CAMZ ist kein Brockenhaus, weshalb wir nicht einfach alles annehmen, ohne es vorher zu begutachten.

Um mit den Spendengeldern maximal haushälterisch umzugehen, engagierten wir einen ukrainischen Transporteur, der viel preiswerter fahren kann, als ein westeuropäisches Transportunternehmen. Dies hat den zusätzlichen Vorteil, dass für den Transport durch die EU zolltechnisch ein Transitverfahren angewendet werden kann, wobei die Güter gar nie in die EU eingeführt werden.

 

On May 22, 2024, the time had come. The Ukrainian articulated lorry was at the meeting point in Aarburg at 07.59 sharp, where we picked up the first load. We then drove the tour together and loaded the truck in Stansstad and Winterthur.

The recently acquired manual stacker and the pallet trolley helped us to do this, as the lorry does not have a hydraulic lifting platform. Without these devices, we would have had no chance of emptying the 21-foot container in Winterthur in 45 minutes and lifting the goods onto the truck.

The last stop before customs was Flurlingen, where the bikes were loaded. The donors, Thomas Lösch from Velowerk Schaffhausen, Daniel Wyder from the company Amsler in Feuerthalen and his employee Pedro Mende, helped us with this. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the manufacturer of the bicycles, Tern Bicycles, who supported this project with a substantial amount.

The customs documents had been neatly prepared and clearance took just 15 minutes. At 4 p.m., just 8 hours after the tour began in Aarburg, the semi-trailer crossed the border in Kreuzlingen. The goods were unloaded in Uzhhorod on May 27, 2024 and many of them have already been distributed to their destination.

The tandem is located in Tyachiv at Parasolka, where it is to be used for therapeutic purposes. This means that even someone with a major disability can get into town by bike if someone from the staff is driving the tandem. We are waiting for the video of the driving training for the staff in Tyachiv - that could be fun.

Das Team von links: Thomas Loesch, Michael Roffler, Daniel Wyder, Pablo Mende, Kolya Tokarchuk

In addition, ten transport bicycles were delivered to Chernihiv, where they have already been used at a charity event commemorating the victims of the Russian attack.
Many happy faces crowned the successful conclusion and we would like to thank everyone whose donations make such meaningful projects possible in the first place!

Video: charitable event in Tchernihiv