USAID/Ukraine’s “New Pages of Ukrainian Heroism” campaign tells the stories of women who are making history, working behind the frontlines to support Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction. Follow the campaign @USAIDUkraine on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Lena Balbek is the founder of Blood Agents, a civil society organization that promotes blood donations in Ukraine.
“Blood Agents is a team of volunteers who have been recruiting donors and running blood donation centers since July 2015," says Lena.
“We promote blood donations through creative projects, partnerships, positive motivation, and the constant support of donors.”
Lena estimates that, since its founding, the organization has helped people donate 8,000 liters of blood. Their life-saving work has become even more important since the start of Russia’s full-scale war. In addition to collecting blood donations for those in need, Blood Agents has raised money to buy medicines for Ukraine’s defenders and to procure equipment for regional blood centers across Ukraine.
Also during the war, Lena's on the ground knowledge helped direct USAID resources to where they were most needed. Lena's expertise ultimately helped USAID design activities to provide blood bank equipment to frontline communities in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, making it possible for thousands of people to donate blood for some of Ukraine’s hardest-hit communities.
When we asked Lena how she would like to be remembered by future generations, her response was humble:
"If I were captured in a history book, I’d love to be featured in an article about the power of small steps," she responded.
"About how invisible networks of small organizations create sustainability on a large scale. And about the economic value of volunteer initiatives – all these topics are about Blood Agents. I’d like to read about cooperation among organizations, and about the growth of civil society in Ukraine. How it reached a turning point … undeniably bringing changes to [Ukraine’s] political and social structure. How Ukraine became the first country to erase the shortage of blood supply once and for all by [facilitating] regular donations."
Lena sees that there is still a lot of work to be done, but she is not afraid of challenges. She is committed to seeing a Ukraine that is united and strong, and, in her words, able to successfully overcome enemies both internal (corruption) and external (Russia’s aggression).
"I see Ukrainians as people who take pride in what they’ve achieved, and at the same time aren’t intimidated by the amount of work to be done ahead," reflects Lena.
"Ukrainians who cherish the concept of mutual trust and a social culture of support [where things like regular blood donations are commonplace]. Being an amateur marathoner myself, I’d like to see Ukrainians as metaphorical long-distance runners: training for a long journey towards peace and prosperity."
