Ukraine Winter - Powering Hospitals & Shelters

The steady hum of a generator was the only reassurance that life could continue.

In a war-torn landscape where destruction threatened to erase any sign of life, the SmartAUD team works tirelessly, bringing light both literal and figurative into the lives of children, families doctors, and patients.

April and May had been brutal. The numbers are unbelievable, 1,389 casualties in April alone, marking the deadliest month of the year, followed closely by 1,019 in May.

Each statistic carried a name, a family, a future that was abruptly stolen or forever altered. Schools, hospitals, places meant to heal and nurture had become targets. 29 medical facilities and 50 educational centers were damaged last month, with two hospitals and six schools reduced to rubble.

Yet, regardless of the situation, SmartAID refused to stop. The war made traditional power grids unreliable, forcing schools and clinics into darkness. Doctors struggled to operate, their ability to save lives hindered by failing electricity.

Teachers fought to keep children engaged, despite the constant fear of the next strike. 600,000 school-age children found themselves learning remotely not out of choice, but because classrooms were no longer safe. 73 educational facilities were damaged or destroyed in January and February alone, depriving children of the stability they desperately needed.

This was where SmartAUD teams on the ground stepped in. We installed off-grid energy units, ensuring hospitals could continue treating the wounded and schools could keep educating children, even under relentless attack.

For doctors, the presence of power meant they could perform surgeries, monitor patients, and provide care without interruption.

For teachers, it meant children could gather even if only virtually keeping them closely connected to their teachers and friends. The generators hummed, a defiant melody against destruction, ensuring that even in the darkest times, life would find a way to push forward.