LONDON, United Kingdom, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SoftServe, a leading IT consulting and digital services provider, today announced its Open Eyes charity fund and Ukraine’s iconic band Okean Elzy are raising funds in London to support Ukrainian medics in its final concert on Dec. 4. Of the 30 fully equipped ambulances needed, the partners have already raised £315,615 to fund 16 vehicles throughout the Help for Ukraine Tour 2024. The final Dec. 4 concert is happening at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town, which aims to gather more support for these lifesaving efforts and reach its final goal of funding 30 fully-equipped ambulances.
The need for ambulances and medical supplies in Ukraine is pressing. The United Nations has reported on the worsening impact of the war on civilians, with over 24,600 people wounded and 11,000 killed since February 2022. According to the WHO, the Russian army has intensified attacks on medical facilities in Ukraine in 2024 in violation of international law.
“The Russians are simply hunting for these ambulances and medical supplies,” said paramedic Yulia Paievska (call sign ‘Taira’) during the official transfer of the vehicle. “While ambulances are expendable, the losses of these vehicles are huge, and the need for them is constant and dire.”
The first ambulance funded by the partnership initiative has already been delivered to medics and more are coming soon. As of November 2024, Open Eyes Fund has delivered over 280 ambulances since the full-scale invasion began. The need continues to grow.
“Since 2022, we’ve focused on helping medics perform their vital work, cooperating with over 221 medical units,” said Viktoriia Mishchuk, Director of the Open Eyes Fund. “A single ambulance can save up to 5,400 lives annually. With 30 vehicles, tens of thousands more lives can be saved.”
At the London concert, attendees can support the initiative by donating directly or in exchange for charity merchandise, participating in an auction featuring exclusive items. Past auctions have included a flag signed by previous Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi and memorabilia from Okean Elzy performances. The London auction will include frontline artifacts, contributions from Ukrainian medics, instruments from the band, and more.
“We’re incredibly grateful to be back in Britain,” said Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, lead singer of Okean Elzy. “On this tour, we are sharing our first-ever English album to speak one language with our global audience, but it’s also about something bigger. Every day in Ukraine, families are torn apart by Russia’s war, and while our defenders and medics work tirelessly to save lives, they can’t do it alone. Together with the Open Eyes Fund, we’re inviting everyone to stand with us and help protect the lives of Ukraine’s men, women, and children.”
Alongside auction proceeds, portions of ticket sales and donations through the band’s own fundraising efforts will go toward the Open Eyes Fund to provide Ukrainian medics with critical support. For supporters unable to attend, contributions can be made from anywhere in the world via the Open Eyes Fund or through donating in exchange for exclusive charity merch from the band.
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ABOUT SOFTSERVE
SoftServe is a premier IT consulting and digital services provider. We expand the horizon of new technologies to solve today's complex business challenges and achieve meaningful outcomes for our clients. Our boundless curiosity drives us to explore and reimagine the art of the possible. Clients confidently rely on SoftServe to architect and execute mature and innovative capabilities, such as digital engineering, data and analytics, cloud, and AI/ML.
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ABOUT THE FUND
Open Eyes is a charitable fund, founded by SoftServe in 2014, operating in Ukraine, Europe, and the United States. The fund focuses on three key areas: supporting medical institutions, promoting education among youth and children, and assisting Ukrainian defenders and veterans.
After the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Open Eyes shifted its efforts to provide critical support to the country. As of the end of 2023, the fund has provided more than 3,000 sets of uniforms and footwear for defenders and their families and delivered over 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid to more than 100,000 people. Additionally, the fund has donated more than 350 items of vital medical equipment to several key hospitals in Ukraine. As part of its flagship Drive for Life initiative, the fund has donated over 250 ambulances to frontline areas since 2022.
