With over two years of service, New Zealand charity Kiwi K.A.R.E (Kiwi Aid & Refugee Evacuation) has expanded its mission to support Ukraine, securing a further 16 decommissioned ambulances.

Led by humanitarian and former New Zealand Army colonel, Tenby Powell, the not-for-profit has managed to amass together another shipment of ambulances, which landed in Port Bremerhaven, Germany, last Friday.

Powell says, “a multi-national team of 20 drivers from New Zealand, Poland, France, Germany, the United States, Canada, the UK and Ukraine, successfully drove the ambulances to Kyiv, some 2000 kilometres away, where they will be serviced and painted in camouflage before being donated to frontline medical units”.

“Kiwi K.A.R.E Team Leader, David Meister, an American based in Poland, has done a tremendous job of assembling a top team, while managing all the various permissions needed to transit Europe in non-EU vehicles bound for Ukraine.”

In August 2023, with support from Hato Hone St John, Kiwi K.A.R.E delivered seven decommissioned ambulances filled with medical supplies to the wartorn country.

Kiwi K.A.R.E driver, Toni Lttermann, in front of the convoy of 16 drivers from New Zealand, Poland, France, Germany, the United States, Canada, the U.K., and Ukraine.

Together with logistics support vehicles, such as large vans, 4x4 cars, and a 13-tonne truck, a total of 30 vehicles Kiwi K.A.R.E has deployed to the war-torn country.

They have been used to deliver aid, transport refugees, evacuate the sick and injured, and run an outreach health programme called Road-of-Life, reaching civilians in Red Zone areas who haven’t seen a medical professional for, in some cases, years.

Kiwi K.A.R.E hopes to keep one or two of the latest ambulances to augment its Road-of-Life programme.

“Manaaki (meaning Caring in te reo) is our only ambulance dedicated to Road-of-Life and we need at least another two assets, together with qualified staff, to meet the demand”, Powell says.

“The call by Ukraine for more ambulances comes in the wake of continued attacks on hospitals, medical centres and civilian infrastructure”.

“We need all the help we can get and we are very grateful to the many New Zealanders who have generously supported Kiwi K.A.R.E.”

“Since the start of the invasion in February 2022, more than 800 Ukrainian hospitals and medical centres have been attacked by Russian artillery, drones and missiles, with 150 destroyed.

“These atrocities and war crimes are still being committed in Ukraine and emergency vehicles are vital to helping Ukraine while engaged in this full-scale war”, Powell says.

The European drivers handing over to the Ukrainian drivers at the border.

Similar to the ambulances sent last year, these Mercedes Sprinters, while not fit for purpose as part of an ambulance fleet, are still considered of a very high standard in Ukraine despite having more than 200,000 kilometres on the clock.

Behind the frontlines, Kiwi K.A.R.E continues to fabricate stoves and water heaters from recycled electrical water boilers collected from all over Ukraine.

What started as a winter project in 2022, has evolved into what many Ukrainians have described as a life-saving project, now run all year.

“To date, we have distributed over 2500 stoves to families in desperate need. Ukrainian fabricators strip and re-weld the recycled cylinders, and we distribute them to Red Zone areas where power and water infrastructure has been completely destroyed”.

Kiwi K.A.R.E chairman Tenby Powell and Sharon Hunter.

Kiwi K.A.R.E remains committed to helping Ukrainians in need and we could not do this without the support and generosity of so many people and organisations here in New Zealand, Australia, and throughout the US, UK and Europe.

“The support has been overwhelming. Please keep it coming”, Powell says.

To donate - please go to the Kiwi K.A.R.E Give-a-Little page or donate via their website.