About charity
Doing good is a business with its own peculiarities. As soon as I say, “Guys, look, I’ve done it. If you want to join in,” and immediately people come to me for advice. They know how everything should have been done (not exactly the way I did it). They will tell you where it would be better to give the money (definitely not where I gave it). I’m not even surprised anymore, I just take it for granted.
I prefer to give a fishing rod rather than a fish
I am used to thinking strategically. And in my understanding, aid should not produce a one-off result, but systemic changes.
Interest-free instalments for apartments in our housing estates, repaired roads, land allocated for a kindergarten – this creates comfort for years to come. If people feel good here, they will live and work here. And the region will grow.
I don’t have the resources to check the situation of everyone who asks for money in detail. Until recently, I have only worked through charitable foundations. There are well-established mechanisms of assistance and control there. And recently I have set up my own foundation to help orphans. Inna will be in charge of it. I have complete confidence in her wisdom and management skills.
We built our Salvation Church as a community for almost four years. I was one of the construction supervisors, contributing money, experience, and muscle – I would come to lay bricks at night after work. It was really important for us to build our church with our own hands.
Now, on the site of the former wasteland, there is a place where people meet with God. On 22 November 2020, the church opened for parishioners. Mostly brothers and sisters from Lutsk and the surrounding villages come there.
I am sometimes reproached for this, saying that charity should be quiet. Somewhere in an ideal world, perhaps, this is true. But in ours, unfortunately, it is impossible to solve problems by the efforts of one person. Charity should be a part of social life. And in order to engage others in good deeds, you need to inspire them by your example. That’s why I have been talking, talking and will continue to talk. I want my goodness to produce seeds that will also turn into goodness.