What is a March Rut?

 
 

What is a March-Rut?  It is the Ukrainian term for the route a bus) or other mode of transportation) takes.  A simpler definition (and the current usage in Ukraine) is simply “itinerary.”

In UCARE, it is the term we have long used to describe the trips we take to visit internaty, bringing them not just material items, but the gifts of hope and friendship. These routes were among the earliest activities the UCARE participated in with the internaty in Ukraine.  The concept of the "Marsh* Route" has changed over the last few years, as conditions in Ukraine and in Ukraine's orphanages have changed.

When we first began helping orphanages in the mid-1990s, the economic situation in Ukraine was grim. The currency was unstable. The banks failed with regularity. Government money was often embezzled. The market economy had not yet taken hold, and there was little in the way of goods available for sale in Ukraine.

Throughout the year, the Detroit and Chicago Chapters collected and purchased items to be sent over seas via a container to Ukraine. Items collected and sent included gently used clothing, toys, linens, sporting goods, new shoes, hygiene items, school supplies, medications--just about anything you can imagine a child would need in his or her day-to-day life.

All of these items were collected, stored (many volunteers have lost garage and office space, basements, etc.), and then sorted, counted and labeled for shipping and customs clearance. A detailed inventory list was kept on each shipment. The supplies from Chicago and Detroit were consolidated onto one or two containers and shipped to Ukraine.

We worked closely with “Priyateli Ditey” in Kyiv to get the containers cleared through customs. Alexandra Kosogof, our current president, was able to travel to Ukraine to assist with the customs process as well as purchase additional supplies in Ukraine.

A team of volunteers would then travel to Ukraine and, with the aid of our scholarships students, staff from the Kyiv office of Priyateli Ditey, and various Ukrainian volunteers (including many kozaks), distribute the supplies to orphanages in Ukraine. Each child at each orphanage was given a pair of shoes, an outfit and a toy; sporting equipment, formula, vitamins, school supplies and medications were given to the orphanage as a whole.


........But times have changed. The currency and the banks are more stable. The market is working. The population, and our orphans, have a slightly higher standard of living. And customs processes have gotten more arduous each and every year, making it almost impossible to import medications and many other items to Ukraine. Sadly, corruption continues to thrive.

It is now possible to buy good quality clothing, shoes, medications, school supplies, hygiene items, formula and the like in Ukraine. When one factors in the cost of shipping and packing, it is more cost effective to buy most items in Ukraine. By purchasing items there, we are helping the local economy, saving on transportation costs as well as eliminating customs headaches (errr, migraines). And so that is what we do now.


    

Boxes of donated (and purchased) Ukrainian goods and Hula-hoops


We still make at least one trip to Ukraine per year. A small team of volunteers travels to Ukraine to distribute supplies to our selected orphanages. (UCARE will cover the travel expenses of those volunteers who have contributed  at least 100 volunteer hours.)

In the beginning our scope was large, we tried to spread as much help as we could to as many orphanages as possible, but we found that we were not having the impact we’d hoped for. We also noticed that some orphanages were getting assistance from other sources: church groups, adoptive families, humanitarian aid organizations, etc. We recognized our limitations and realized we needed to focus on a few orphanages with the greatest needs and great potential, and help them as much as possible.

We have narrowed our scope and are currently focusing on a select few orphanages. Limiting the number of orphanages allows us to spend more time at each location, spending more time with the children and staff, and to gain a better understanding of their needs. It also enables us to follow through on long-term projects (rebuilding laundry facilities, bathrooms, etc. – teaming up with local Rotary International organizations) and monitor their progress over the years.

By traveling to Ukraine and distributing the supplies directly to the orphanages and giving the children –– into their very own hands –– clothing, hygiene items, a new pair of shoes and their very own toy, we can guarantee that the items donated in the United States have reached the intended destination.


    

The gifts of (Kraft) chocolate (left) and a much appreciated play house (right)