Kharkiv, Ukraine, 14 February 2023 – As ongoing Russian air strikes critically damage Ukraine’s power grid and infrastructure, doctors and nurses struggle to provide critical care to patients in hospitals in front line cities in Ukraine. Emergency and planned outages throughout the country mean that Ukraine faces an extreme challenge to sustain consistent electric power to facilities providing essential care and humanitarian relief to citizens.

In particular, Ukrainian hospitals are under immense strain to provide quality care. Vital medical equipment is rendered useless when there is no power and many lives are at stake. Variable electricity from traditional back-up gas generators and surges in the grid can seriously damage crucial medical devices such as ventilators, incubators, and patient monitors.

“Since March of 2022, New Use Energy (NUE)products have been actively deployed to provide emergency power to frontline clinics and hospitals around the country, said Paul Shomotokha, CEO. “With our partners in Germany, we built a 220v European SunKit, a solar lithium battery powered generator, specifically to meet the challenges that Ukraine is facing.”

The SunKit International is a fast charging, solar-enabled, uninterruptible power supply. It has a powerful and safe lithium battery, is highly mobile and easy to use.

Rotary is an expansive worldwide network of 1.4 million volunteers who have pledged “Service Above Self” in their own communities and in communities around the world. The Rotary response to the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis has been rapid and extensive. 

A Whitefish, Montana resident and Past President of the Rotary E-Club of WASH, a virtual club made up of members focused on global water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Heidi Rickels, was moved to action when she met a local Ukrainian refugee family who had narrowly escaped the war and were sponsored to America through Uniting for Ukraine.

“After hearing the Zinchenko’s story and watching moving videos of their home city of Kharkiv before and after the war, my heart was broken for the people,” said Rickels. “I was at home in a warm house in the midst of a Montana snowstorm with negative temperatures outside, and I imagined the people still left in Ukraine struggling to survive without power.”

Rickels’ 20+ years in international development and global health fed into her desire to make an impact where she could. Reaching out to her local and international Rotary network, a campaign was quickly put together to respond. The Rotary Club of Kharkiv “New Level” was contacted, and the first need determined was power for critical medical devices.

This larger campaign aims to empower resilience among the people in Ukraine by providing power to critical facilities like hospitals, field clinics, and humanitarian hubs on the front line and throughout Ukraine by providing lithium-powered backup generators.

The first phase of response will include 4 SunKit generators sent directly to Kharkiv Regional Clinical Perinatal Center in eastern Ukraine which was hit hard by Russian strikes that have knocked out grid power sources and crippled much of the infrastructure.

“The Sunkit, when paired with SunTarp portable solar panels is so easy to use that we have now created a number of ‘solar doctors’ from Severdonetsk to Mykolaiv to Lviv.

Since the campaign began in January, other hospitals, field clinics and humanitarian hubs have come forward requesting support. At the same time generous donors with a heart for making an impact in Ukraine have reached out seeking ways to help. Because of this, the campaign is planning a full scale effort to empower resilience at front line facilities.

“Along with our Rotary Kharkiv partners and the generous donations of Rotarians and individuals from around the world, we will save precious lives for years to come. That is what this is all about.”

About New Use Energy:
New Use Energy Solutions, Inc. (NUE) is an Arizona-based company with representation in Ukraine whose mission is “Using the Sun to Build a Better Generator.” NUE engineers and manufactures solar+battery systems which replace traditional fossil fuel alternatives such as portable generators. NUE emphasizes mobility as well as field serviceability to maximize the usable life of our products. Advantages of NUE’s products include SPEED of deployment, SIMPLICITY of the technology and SUSTAINABILITY of the solution.

About Rotary: 
Rotary unites a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges and creating lasting change. Rotary connects 1.4 million people of action from more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in almost every country in the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org.