On February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale attack on peaceful Ukraine, many people around the world began to help Ukrainians in any way they could. Mriya Aid was established on March 9, 2022 as a volunteer initiative by Canadian security and management professionals. We named our organization in honor of the world's largest Ukrainian-made aircraft, the An-225 Mriya, which was used to deliver humanitarian aid to various countries worldwide. In February 2022, the Russians bombed this plane, which is why we decided to name our mission to help Ukraine in its honor.
Let’s See Who We Are
Mriya Aid was founded in February 2022 by Canadian defence, security and management professionals. We named our organization after the world's largest aircraft, the Ukrainian-built An-225 Mriya, which used to fly humanitarian aid shipments to various countries around the world. In February 2022, the Russians bombed this plane, so we Canadians decided to name our mission to help Ukraine after it.
Since the first days of the war, we have focused on supporting the military to ensure survival both at the individual level on the frontlines and at the societal level through medical infrastructure and demining in communities affected by war.
Mriya Aid was founded in February 2022 by Canadian defence, security and management professionals. We named our organization after the world's largest aircraft, the Ukrainian-built A... n-225 Mriya, which used to fly humanitarian aid shipments to various countries around the world. In February 2022, the Russians bombed this plane, so we Canadians decided to name our mission to help Ukraine after it.
Since the first days of the war, we have focused on supporting the military to ensure survival both at the individual level on the frontlines and at the societal level through medical infrastructure and demining in communities affected by war.
Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free, and democratic European state.
Dmytro Kuleba
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine February 2022
Our Directors
Lesya Granger
Chair & CEO
An award-winning education specialist and applied linguistics researcher with two Master’s degrees, Lesya gained extensive management experience heading a team of 350 educators and administrators working for a key program of the Ontario Ministry of Education. She knows better than anyone how professional training and results-based program management can make a difference and have a significant impact on program and financial resource optimization.
Since February 2022, she has dedicated 100% of her time to developing Mriya Aid's organizational capacity, working at a strategic level, analyzing projects and areas of activity where the volunteer network's efforts would be most beneficial.
Lubomyr Chabursky
Secretary-Treasurer
As Senior Director of DisputeSoft's IT Project Practice and an experienced litigation attorney who led the largest IT systems development litigation in Canada, Lubomyr values the importance of due process and proper procedure to achieve results. At Mriya Aid, he is responsible for risk assessment, legal affairs, and compliance of the organization's processes with international standards.
Lubomyr has a personal connection to Ukraine, where he was a guest lecturer at the Ukrainian Leadership Academy and universities across Ukraine. Some of his students are currently serving on the front lines.
Mark Paine
CSO
A former officer with the Royal Canadian Artillery, Mark draws on decades of dedicated service across defence and the federal public service. With a Masters in Public Administration and extensive knowledge in International Defence Resource Management and Strategic Performance Management, he is a recognized subject matter expert in Integrated Planning for a systematic approach to ensure that organizational goals are met.
Mark is passionate about defence, security, and demining in the historical and current geopolitical contexts. To deepen his expertise not only from the technical standpoint of a sapper, but from a project management perspective focusing on long-term, cost-effective solutions, Mark has completed his Level 3 certification in International Mine Action Standards in Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
At Mriya Aid, our mission is driven by a commitment to a strong, free, and democratic Ukraine. Despite the challenges, our resolve remains steadfast. Together, we can make a significant difference.
Lesya Granger
Chair & CEO
How We Work
Mriya Aid was founded by professionals in the field of project management, education, and state reforms and specialists in security and defence. All of us have been volunteering our time and knowledge since February 2022 and see the war in Ukraine not as a regional problem, but as a war that threatens the entire democratic world.
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Volunteer-Driven Efforts
Our team consists of volunteers with extensive expertise in highly specialized security sector issues in Canada and Ukraine. This allows us to formulate projects, combine team efforts and attract donor funding in areas where every dollar invested has a significant multiplier effect.
02
Donation Collection
Individual donors contribute through this website and can indicate which initiative they’d like to support. Corporate and government donors work directly with Mriya Aid Directors on project contributions. Every contribution is vital and directly impacts our operations.
03
Fund Allocation and Spending
Once donations are received, our Directors allocate the funds to purchase or support the selected categories. We ensure that all expenditures are made transparently and efficiently. We source locally in Ukraine to support local businesses and communities where possible.
04
Transparency and Reporting
All financial transactions and fund allocations are meticulously recorded for annual audits by an independent third-party auditing firm. We provide information for donors to see how the funds are spent and how their donations impact Ukraine. Every dollar donated to Mriya Aid goes directly to aid projects.
Our Core Values
Mriya Aid members and volunteers are guided by six core values, which are expressed and enshrined in Code of Ethics and Conduct. Integrity, Transparency, Accountability, Competence, Equity, Responsiveness.
Our values drive us to continually strive for excellence in our mission to help Ukrainians under threat to do their jobs safely and effectively to defend themselves and to save lives.
Our values drive us to continually strive for excellence in our mission to help Ukrainians under threat to do their jobs safely and effectively to defend themselves and to save lives.
Integrity and transparency
Integrity is at the heart of all of our decisions and our work revolves around transparent processes.
Accountability and competence
We are open and accountable to our donors who can rely on our professionalism, experience and expertise.
Equity and responsiveness
Mriya Aid optimizes all aspects of operations and resource management to ensure that aid is delivered effectively and equitably where it is most needed.
The Mriya Aid team is exceptional in their dedication. They work to understand every detail of the training program to ensure that the Ukrainian deminers they support have access to the highest quality and most up-to-date tools: knowledge, skills, and equipment.
Ben Remfrey
Managing Director, PCM
Our Priorities to Support Ukraine
Demining Train and Equip Projects
Quality training and equipment provided to Ukrainian deminers for safe and secure removal of mines and deadly remnants of war to restore safe lands and living conditions for communities.
Optics and Specialized Gear
Supplying special operations gear for tactical and operator safety in the field. This equipment improves front line operability by protecting and saving the lives of soldiers.
Medical Supplies
Providing essential medical supplies and equipment to frontline healthcare workers and hospitals.
Advocacy and Outreach
Engaging in awareness-raising with a wide network of partners who work to strengthen Ukraine.
Our latest updates
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Supporting Ukraine in its Colossal Task of Clearing Deadly OrdnanceTo understand the mine action and explosive ordnance disposal situation in Ukraine,...
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As people supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian defenders know, the work of NGOs like Mriya Aid is impactful and morally uplifting but also complex and dif...
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It is painful to think how Ukraine was invaded and how desperate we all felt two years ago and to reflect on all of the suffering that russia has infl...
MoreFAQ
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Who created Mriya Aid and why?
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Does my donation make a difference?
We, as volunteers, cannot stop this genocidal war that Russia has waged against Ukraine to destroy the country and its people. But what we can definitely do is strengthen the ability of Ukrainians to fight off the invasion, to help the military with equipment, to deliver medical equipment and humanitarian supplies, to train sappers and deminers according to international mine action standards, and to provide equipment that saves lives of both military and civilians. Every dollar donated can make a difference. The efforts of each of us matter to help Ukrainians and to speed up the end of the war. -
Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?
We cannot provide you with a tax receipt because, while Mriya Aid is registered as a not-for-profit organization, it is not a charity. Canadian taxation law does not allow charities to provide any aid to foreign military personnel (not even tourniquets or medicines for saving the lives of soldiers). Mriya Aid chose not to register as a charity because our mission is to provide assistance to fighting forces, amongst other things. We can act immediately and without typical overhead costs to convert donations into practical support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and state agencies working in defence of Ukraine. -
How does my donation directly support Ukraine and Ukrainians?
All donations and transactions flow only through official accounts and platforms on the website. Monetary donations are aggregated to assist in bulk procurement of goods for demining training, demining PPE, and costs of shipping medical equipment and humanitarian supplies. We work directly with volunteers and vetted partners in Ukraine, and all Mriya Aid activities respect Canadian laws and regulations as well as the laws of the countries we work in. Audits are conducted in accordance with Canadian law, Ontario regulations, and with professional standards that exceed the requirements placed on not-for-profit organizations. All donations are directed exclusively to Ukraine. -
Does Mriya Aid provide the kind of help that Ukrainians really need?
First, Ukraine needs so much help that no government can handle it. We, Mryia Aid, have long-standing relationships with trusted NGOs as well as the military, representing various institutions. We are in daily contact and can monitor the needs of those working on the ground close to the frontlines. Therefore, we have focused on two main areas: 1) delivering medical equipment and humanitarian supplies to frontline hospitals, and 2) funding training in humanitarian demining and explosive ordnance disposal, as well as personal protective equipment for Ukrainian sappers and deminers. -
How many people does Mriya Aid have?
For the first year after the establishment of Mriya Aid in 2022, over 50 active volunteers worked around the clock to provide unprecedented levels of support and aid to Ukrainians on the frontlines. In 2.5 years, we sent 30 shipments of aid worth millions of dollars to Ukraine, and we’ve directly supported thousands of men and women defending Ukraine in over 100 Ukrainian emergency and military units. Today, the core of the organization consists of ten people who methodically build up Mriya Aid and its innovative projects. We are very proud to have grown into a highly effective organization led by a team of professionals who provide their knowledge, experience, and wide networks to ensure organizational growth and sustainable development.
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