CADUS became active immediately after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022. We initially supported the civil society initiative Project Nadiya on the Slovakian-Ukrainian border by procuring and transporting humanitarian aid supplies.

Just one month later, we started our MEDEVAC mission in Ukraine. In addition to the medical evacuations, a mobile makerspace and the development of a diverse medical training program were added.

We carry out medical evacuations with our rescue vehicles.

Period: since March 2022

The transfer of our first ambulance to Lviv in March 2022 marked the start of our MEDEVAC mission in Ukraine. We carry out medical evacuations there and initially also coordinated the MEDEVAC operations of other international organizations on site. In addition to three rescue vehicles that we operate ourselves with a team on site in Ukraine, we have procured and handed over 22 more and a lot of medical equipment, e.g. 75 ventilators, for the local Ukrainian rescue structure.

At the end of 2022, we moved the focus of our operations to Dnipro, and since October 2023 we have also been carrying out intensive care transports in the Donetsk district in cooperation with Doctors Without Borders/MSF.

Other projects with a medical focus for Ukraine include the MICU (Mobile Intensive Care Unit), a coach converted into a mobile intensive care unit, and the mobile PHC (Primary Health Care), a doctor’s surgery on wheels for basic medical care. We converted and equipped both vehicles in our Crisis Response Makerspace in Berlin and then transferred them to Ukraine and handed them over to partner organizations.

Training for people with and without medical training.

Period: since March 2022

In seven different courses, we train lay people and specialists in Ukraine in emergency medicine and thus support the establishment and improvement of local rescue structures. So far, over 1500 people in 11 cities have taken part in the various topics.

The medical care structures, which were already very different locally before the war, were overloaded by the time Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022. At the same time, many Ukrainians, local initiatives and organizations wanted to help close this gap. In addition to equipment, the regular rescue workers and volunteers often lacked specific training in the treatment of war injuries.

We began with initial training in the area of emergency life-saving measures in western Ukraine. We now offer seven courses in the field of pre-hospital care, ranging from acute injury care, initial measures in the event of explosion injuries and learning ventilation techniques to dealing with biological, chemical and radioactive hazards.

Upon completion of the course, candidates receive a certificate. Furthermore, we are striving for certification of the courses in accordance with the international Continuing Medical Education Standard (CME) and are working together with the Ternopil National Medical University, the largest medical training center in Ukraine, among others.

In future, the focus will increasingly be on standardizing training courses for a handover and the train-the-trainer approach so that courses can also be offered locally by our partners.

Reconstruction and creation of shelters.

Period: May – August 2022

In our Crisis Response Makerspace in Berlin, we built a mobile makerspace based on a van and sent it on its way to Ukraine in May 2022. Together with several Ukrainian and German partner organizations, we have been involved in reconstruction in Ukraine – in the midst of war. Our team of volunteer craftspeople has worked with local cooperatives to refurbish buildings as accommodation for internally displaced persons. A fire station and a school were also rebuilt.

The project was financed by GIZ until August 2022. After the funding ended, we had to take the Mobile Makerspace back for the time being. However, the equipping of a new rolling workshop is in full swing in Berlin, and talks are underway with potential new sponsors. We hope that we will soon be able to continue our efforts in the area of reconstruction.