GlobalGiving recently conducted a three-country trip to visit the awe-inspiring, local partners at the heart of our response to the devastating war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. We visited more than 20 organizations that have received donations from GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, thanks to the generosity of donors around the globe. We visited the bordering countries of Poland, Romania, and Slovakia—all hosting refugees from Ukraine. The stories we encountered on that journey are captured here in a series we’ve titled “Portraits of Hope.”

This series is about real people making a difference in their communities, as Tolkien put it, in the darkest and most uncertain of nights. It’s about their unyielding commitment to help others in need. In Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, I witnessed over and over again the power of individuals to offer hope and provide care in their communities in ways that nobody else is.

The stories you’re about to read come from people from all walks of life— a Ukrainian doctor serving in a Polish hospital, a Polish woman with a disability finding her place in a blended community, a Ukrainian refugee starting anew in Romania. Despite their diverse backgrounds and experiences, there’s one thing that binds them: their deep care for others in the midst of war.

Our approach at GlobalGiving is to support community-led work in a holistic way. When it comes to the war in Ukraine, we continue to provide long-term relief, focusing on our incredible partners within Ukraine as well as those in the surrounding countries that continue to provide refuge to displaced people.

As you read these stories, you’ll get to know organizations like the Pay It Forward Foundation in Poland, a community-led organization that adapted to the crisis by expanding their support to include refugees from Ukraine. Similarly, Ateliere Fără Frontiere (or “Workshops without Borders”) in Romania, an organization initially focused on addressing local employment challenges, opened its doors to Ukrainian refugees, creating opportunities for them to establish successful careers.

The stories in this series are more than inspiring anecdotes—they’re a testament to unwavering humanity in the face of adversity. Tolkien’s quote, “Hope is not victory, but it is the promise of dawn,” speaks volumes about the unfolding reality in Ukraine. These stories from our GlobalGiving community — like steady candles — light the way forward for all of us.

Read the full article about stories from Ukraine by Kristin Wright at GlobalGiving.