FreeСХІД.ua#14 Ambitious Donbas: making modern-day comedy, opening an artisan toy studio and a diner for students and city servants

It is the 14th issue of our digest, and we can’t stop admiring our people.

A resettler from occupied Yasinovata started her own artisan toy studio at Druzhkivka, an engineer from Donetsk opened a diner in Maryupil, and schoolchildren from Mykolaiv have their mind firmly set on making a real movie!

Read these and other stories in our Sunday issue.

 #FreeZONE

Analysts from the Ukrainian Institute for the Future conducted an expert survey for “Novoye vremia” news, assessing each of the possible scenarios of future events development at Donbas. They got following results: 

Scenario #1: Neither piece, nor war – 75% probability

Scenario #2: Peaceful Donbas recovery - 18% probability

Scenario #3: Non-Ukrainian Donbas: Ukraine renounces its claim to the Eastern territories, and they get directly annexed by Russia - 5% probability

Scenario #4: Ukraine recovers occupied territories by military force – 2% probability

How do we interpret this data: the most sustainable scenario is the one where situation gets preserved in current state till 2020. According to this scenario the Ukrainian government will be reluctant to make any steps that might violate the existing status quo. Also, no clear specific plan on how to regain the territories will be developed in the next few years.

#FreeLUGANSK

What part-time employment options are available to young people in Lugansk? #FreeCXIД special reporter in Lugansk took a look at current vacancies and wages in the occupied regional center.

Programs at local Lugansk colleges allow students to combine full-time studies with part-time jobs. Many young people use this opportunity.

Most often Lugansk youth find jobs as sales associates at local shopping centers. This type of job does not require any special skillset or certificates, and offers 9-hour working day with 1 hour lunch break. One-day work pay is RUB 300 (about $5/UAH150) - the employee gets cash payment at the end of each day regardless of sales amount.

At a market place for an 8-hour work-shift a sales assistant gets RUB 250 (UAH125) per day + commission, which makes the job a little more fun.

A server at local cafés and restaurants makes RUB350 (UAH175) + tips.

Students also work in giving away print ads, or as merchandise promoters. Another job type, that require no specific skills is party entertainer with hourly wage of RUB150-200 (UAH75 — 100).

Internet jobs are considered intellectual. There is a bundle of choice starting with “copywriter” positions to posing as “bride” for matchmaker agency. These types of jobs have certain advantage: free schedule, possibility of working from home. “Copywriters” job, which, in fact is just  rewriting existing articles, provides a chance of adjusting working hours to specific cash amount. Wages wary from RUB500 to 15000 per month (UAH250 — 7500). However, to earn RUB15000 one will have to spend 9-12 hours working every day.

There are also manual labor options. Earning of stacker of pavement tiles assistant with 12-hour working day start at RUB500. The job include moving and cutting pavement tile, mixing send with cement, etc. Truck unloading jobs are paid per ton of unloaded cargo. Normally, employer is looking for someone to unload trucks with bags of clothes coming from Moscow. But this job is one time deal, and is way to hard, so few people are willing to do it.

#FreeADVICE

1. Follow this link to find out about Oshchadbank personal identification procedure for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Important: currently all IDPs must undergo personal identification procedure to receive state social and pension payments.

2. The next link provides tips on how to obtain IDP registration without residency registration stamp in internal passport.

Important: this information is relevant to Donbas students, who had left the region before the start of the war, and were studying in Ukrainian colleges. During study period they got registered as college dorm residents, with registration at their previous place of residency being cancelled. Now, as these students are completing their studies, their college dorm registration is getting cancelled. Meanwhile, they are unable to get officially re-registered at previous addresses, since the cities are not under control of the state of Ukraine.

#FreeNews

On April 19 the President of Ukraine launched transmitters that will block most “LNR/DNR” militant propaganda channels. But many settlements along separation line are still getting the signal.

Heating facilities at “Stanytsa Luganska” checkpoint will be replaced with cooling space. The Red Cross volunteers promise to provide refreshments and a place to rest to everyone in need. 

Ukrzaliznytsa added a train from Constantynivka to Odessa to its Mayday holiday schedule. Train#92 will make additional trips on April 27, 29 to Odessa and on April 26, 28, 30 to Kanstantynivka. Departure time at Konstantynivka as 15:30, with arrival in Odessa at 08:07; train departure from Odessa is 13:28, and arrival time at Kontantynivka is 05:40.

#FreeQUOTE

For several months in spring-summer of 2014, surrounded by enemy, Ukrainian military had been holding their position at Donetsk airport, and managed to make it out alive. Major General Andriy Kovalchuk shared his story:

“When the Russians got to the airport they immediately took control of the main building. About 10 of our soldiers were taken prisoners. As Russian tanks entered administrative sector, I realized: if infantry proceeds with the tanks, we all are definitely getting killed. How do we make infantry not follow the tanks? It was only possible if we used artillery.

The first thing I did, I ordered artillery fire on the major building – the airport itself. Later, at about 5 or 6 p.m. I ordered artillery fire on us, on all of the airport. And it helped, since the Russians started panicking. They were earing on our ether, and they got scared.

They started screaming: “take off urgently”, as they expected aviation and artillery fire on all of the airport grounds. They were fleeing in panic. And the guys who were taken hostage used the situation to their advantage. As Russians were loading them on KAMAZs, they fought back – hand-to hand.

Just so you know – they never forced us out of the airport, we just left it. There was no need to hold it any longer. As we were leaving it was on fire – all of it… For another two days Russians were bombing and storming an empty site. They thought we were still there”.

#FreeINFOGRAPHICS

 This infographic data might look unsettling for the Ministry of temporarily occupied territories and IDPs Ukraine (MTOT), as public organization «Мій.Дім.UA» accuses officials of inaction. Specifically, not a single draft law has been submitted by “the Ministry of resettlers” to Verkhovna Rada.

#FreePEOPLE

Oleksandr PIATAK, Donetsk-Maryupil

Former engineer from Donetsk Oleksandr Piatak’s diner is popular among residents of Maryupil. Local college students come here in the morning, later in the day the diner gets filled with clerks from the Regional Court, the City Council, and other state institutions located nearby.

Oleksander opened the diner a year ago. In Donetsk he used to ran a bar together with his friends. The war forced Oleksandr to return to his native city of Maryupil. To provide for his family, for several years Oleksandr worked as a sales representative, but he never gave up on the dream of running a business of his own.

Natalia DERZHYPILSKA, Yasinovata- Druzhkivka

An IDP from temporarily uncontrolled Yasinovata town opened her own artisan toy manufacturing studio. Today 22 year old Natalia lives in Druzhkivka. The artist created her own brand, she teaches master-classes, and takes part in fares both in Ukraine and abroad.

According to Natalia, it takes about a week to make an artisan toy. They cost about UAH20. The dolls are more expensive – start at UAH500. The final price of a toy depends on design, size, materials and accessories. Orders come from Ukraine, Poland and Italy. The dolls are often bought by private collectors. But you can make a toy yourself, if you take Natalia’s master-classe.

 “Medi@nna” initiative group

“Medi@nna” initiative group was created on the basis of Mykolaivka School #3 (Slovianski administrative district). De facto it is a movie studio for kids. Its members are determined to make modern Ukrainian comedy “Offline Vacation”.

Right, it is not a mistake. The kids from Mykolaivka have already taken part in a number of Ukrainian film festivals, so they have enough experience to set such ambitious goal.

What is the point? First, “Offline Vacation” is Ukrainian comedy that will be made by small town kids and youth from start (script and storyboard) to finish (production).

Second, the kids have already presented the idea in Kyiv as part of large-scale project “Urban Youth”, got creative voucher from “Spilnokosht” crowdfunding Ukrainian platform, and found experienced mentors ready to help.

And, of course, the very idea of the movie is to show the advantages of real world experience over virtual life. So it’s like Mykolaiv’s own “Black Mirror”, but this time it is also a comedy. 

What do kids need and how can we help them?

The group is registered at “Spilnokosht” crowdfunding platform, along with project detail: how they are planning on making movie, who is going to do it, as well as team qualifications. The kids are planning on raising UAH300 000, which will cover movie production cost. 26 people have already supported the idea, and donated UAH 12 000. But this money is not enough for the project, so we decided to provide information support to “Medi@nna” – let’s help the initiative group build their dream into reality.

Follow this link to support the kids. And we will see you at the movie premiere!

#Yours Donetsk Press Club