Published
Thu, Aug 4, 2022, 09:00
- The clean-up raves are organised by a group called Repair Together, which is salvaging homes and constructing new ones.
A group of Ukrainian ravers, DJs and volunteers have joined forces to clean up the destruction of war and build new homes destroyed by the Russian invasion.
Members of the group, known as Repair Together, dance to electronic music performed by DJs and live artists as they move rubble, construct new homes and rebuild old ones. The performers include Darya Kosianova and DJ Big Kuchinsky.
Speaking to Resident Advisor, the project's founder, Dmytro Kyrpa, said they've already held eight clean-up raves and helped repair 15 damaged homes in the village of Yahidne, in the region of Chernihiv.
Kyrpa said the group has now progressed to the nearby village of Lukashivka, where land has been cleared to build 20 homes from scratch and where construction of the first home has begun. The team will also repair a further 25 homes in this area.
"Together with my friends, immediately after the de-occupation of the settlements, we felt an urgent need to help people," he said. "We decided we could repair houses, provide targeted assistance and help with the cleaning of destroyed houses."
In a recent Instagram post, Repair Together shared a video of volunteers participating in a clean-up rave at the site of a destroyed cultural centre in Yahidne.
The group hoped the event would attract enough media attention and support to help restore the building, which is "an extremely important cultural institution for the community and where only a few months ago, local residents listened to lectures, enjoyed concerts, met friends and sincerely rejoiced," said Kyrpa.
According to Kyrpa, Repair Together has raised around $25,000 (USD) but is now placing greater focus on securing advertising contracts to fund rebuilding projects. He said contracts secured so far have raised $60,000, which will help build four new homes.
Volunteers travelled to help Yahidne from cities such as Kyiv and Lviv, as well as from Portugal, Germany and the US.
During the war, Russian troops seized the homes of Yahidne residents and kept around 300 people captive in the basement of a school for a month. This led to 11 fatalities, The Washington Post reports.
Volunteering has become a new way of life in Ukraine. "At a certain point, we felt volunteering should become a lifestyle for our generation," said Dmytro. "For this to happen, volunteering shouldn't only be hard work, but also a social and recreational activity in which people will communicate, make new friends and even have a little fun."
He added: "They will be able to distract themselves from the terrible events in Ukraine and benefit our Motherland. Because we love raves and electronic music, we felt it was a fitting and necessary combination."
A bigger clean-up rave is planned later this month in the city of Ivanivka. This weekend, the fundraising event Visionary Festival is also being held in support of Repair Together volunteers, with sets from Udda, Sapling and Denis Polyakov.
Donate to Repair Together.
Photos: Pasha Youz
In a recent Instagram post, Repair Together shared a video of volunteers participating in a clean-up rave at the site of a destroyed cultural centre in Yahidne. The group hoped the event would attract enough media attention and support to help restore the building, which is "an extremely important cultural institution for the community and where only a few months ago, local residents listened to lectures, enjoyed concerts, met friends and sincerely rejoiced," said Kyrpa. According to Kyrpa, Repair Together has raised around $25,000 (USD) but is now placing greater focus on securing advertising contracts to fund rebuilding projects. He said contracts secured so far have raised $60,000, which will help build four new homes. Volunteers travelled to help Yahidne from cities such as Kyiv and Lviv, as well as from Portugal, Germany and the US. During the war, Russian troops seized the homes of Yahidne residents and kept around 300 people captive in the basement of a school for a month. This led to 11 fatalities, The Washington Post reports.
Volunteering has become a new way of life in Ukraine. "At a certain point, we felt volunteering should become a lifestyle for our generation," said Dmytro. "For this to happen, volunteering shouldn't only be hard work, but also a social and recreational activity in which people will communicate, make new friends and even have a little fun." He added: "They will be able to distract themselves from the terrible events in Ukraine and benefit our Motherland. Because we love raves and electronic music, we felt it was a fitting and necessary combination." A bigger clean-up rave is planned later this month in the city of Ivanivka. This weekend, the fundraising event Visionary Festival is also being held in support of Repair Together volunteers, with sets from Udda, Sapling and Denis Polyakov. Donate to Repair Together. Photos: Pasha Youz