Meet the University of Bristol graduate helping thousands of Ukrainians flee the war
Yegor Lanovenko, who's originally from Odessa, set up a charity to help refugees in the first days of the war
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukrainian born Bristol University graduate Yegor Lanovenko decided to set up a platform to help Ukrainian refugees get to safety.
His charity Opora, aims to help Ukrainians resettle in the UK and get their lives back on track for the long-term. Yegor, originally born in Odessa, said he could sense that the “situation was escalating” and on the first day of the war he put his plan into action.
Since then, the charity has taken off with over 17,000 Ukrainians and UK sponsors using it, since its creation last month.
Yegor said “over 1000 visas have been issued which is unbelievable.”
After convincing his mother not to return to his hometown of Odessa, Yegor turned his attention to the many other families who needed help.
“We just wanted to help as many people as we could," he told us.
With the help of Ophora, many Ukrainian nationals have been matched with UK sponsors and host families, managing to escape the war-torn country they call home.
Once settled, Ophora aims to work with local communities to get employment opportunities for those who’s lives have been ripped apart and give them the stability and life they need.
While many have received help, there are still numerous Ukrainian refugees crying out for help.
“These atrocities aren’t close to home, they are home," Yegor said.
To find out more about the charity or how to get involved you can visit their website here.