A man from Brighton, who is married to a Ukrainian, is campaigning to raise money for a project that will enable people in Ukraine's Lviv to receive trauma therapy.
Mark Walsh, CEO of Embodiment Unlimited, aims to train 20 Ukrainian psychological resilience and trauma educators in Lviv, as well as bring urgent medical supplies to the country.
The trauma education and resilience project 'Sane Ukraine' has already raised $30,000 for the project but Mark has his sights on a lot more. With £40,000 they will get humanitarian medical supplies to the right places, and with £200,000 they will be able to pay the twenty trainers for a year to continue the good work.
It never hurts to have a celebrity endorsement to help get people's attention and actress and comedian Ruby Wax has backed the project, saying:
“In a world where very few are thinking straight in these high winds of disaster and trauma, Mark and the Sane Ukraine project are actually walking the talk by going to Ukraine to help - that's as healing as it gets.”
Mark has close ties with Ukraine as his wife Daria, and her family are from the country. Daria’s family are now safely in Poland where Mark is heading first to gather supplies and arrange logistics for the trip.
Mark says he is highly experienced in resilience and trauma training with 15 years’ work in many areas of conflict such as Afghanistan, Israel and Sierra Leone. He has worked in Ukraine and Russia (where he worked with the LGBTQ+ community around trauma) on many occasions, and says he understands Slavic psychology as well as any outsider.
Along with a Polish friend, Mark will deliver urgently needed medical supplies and provide training in trauma and resilience to people on the ground in Lviv.
He said:
“Like many of us I was feeling powerless watching the invasion of Ukraine, so I decided to do what I could. My mother and father-in-law and several psychologist colleagues have become refugees, and many friends in Ukraine have experienced shelling near their homes. I message them daily to check they’re still alive. Rather than despair however, I have chosen action.
"We need help to enable us to complete our mission. You can help by sharing the link to my fundraiser with your friends – thank you so much. We also have an Amazon wish list for anyone who wants to donate this way.”
His fundraising link is. www.saneukraine.com
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