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About the project

As a result of the war, there has never been a more important time to maintain aikido practice in Ukraine. It provides a sense of normality, encourages physical and mental well-being, and fosters the idea of seeking peace and reconciliation. Post-war, it will also be an important tool in aiding the recovery process. The Aikido for Ukraine project is set up by Aikido Akademia ↗, a non-profit organization registered in Slovakia.

Strategic aims:

  1. Aiding children's recovery by supporting children's classes within Ukraine and providing activities like special seminars and events within Ukraine and in other countries.
  2. Helping to sustain aikido by supporting teachers, their students and their families in Ukraine for as long as it is needed.

The project "Aikido for Ukraine" has four functions:

  1. To ensure that clubs who need support are aware of the assistance that we can provide.
  2. To provide a reliable and trusted body that can ensure supporter efforts and donor money have the most impact.
  3. To create a system where dojos within Ukraine can pair up with dojos outside of the country that can offer support and friendship. To present transparently and uniformly a system of assistance to all aikido clubs in Ukraine. To coordinate the efforts of donors in order to offer a reliable tool of help for Ukrainian clubs.
  4. To get to the point that Aikido for Ukraine is no longer needed.

Angel Partners

flag swedish

Swedish Aikido Federation

https://www.svenskaikido.se/2022/06/12/aikido-for-ukraina

flag usa

Aiki Extensions

https://aikiextensions.org

Support in numbers

Last update: 9.5.2024

People behind the project

Our Ambassadors

Stefan Stenudd, 7. dan

Jan Nevelius, 7. dan

Kei Izawa, 7. dan

Mouliko Halen, 7. dan

Dorin Marchis, 6. dan

Zdenko Reguli, 6. dan

Plamen Youroukov, 6. dan

Kaname Ariga, 6. dan

Norbert Hochstrasser, 5. dan

Aake Pekkarinen, 5. dan

Jamie Leno Zimron, 5. dan

Svein Hatlen, 3. dan

Jacqueline von Arb, 3. dan

Advisory board

Quentin Cooke, 7. dan

Jacqueline von Arb, 3. dan

Application for Support Review Team

Volunteers

Distribution Volunteers (Hub in Ukraine – import)

Vasil Talapa, 3. dan

Mihail Korozey, 4. dan

Independent Financial Review Committee

Andreas Falk, 5. dan

Alexander Ermakov, 4. dan

Sylvia Mucke, 5. dan

Supporters of the project

Obcianska Agentura Komunitneho rozvoja

Aiki-Extensions

Since this project began, we've had numerous volunteers helping with receiving goods, driving trucks, logistics, etc. They are too many to mention, but all worthy of our gratitude.

mikhail

Mikhail ROGACH

Ukraine

4. dan AIKIKAI

Profesional aikido instructor. Co-founder of the Aikido academy in Ukraine and head instructor of the Kagami dojo in Uzhhorod.

  • Uzhhorod National University
  • Faculty of Healthcare

When the war began, Mikhail was training in Sweden and he has not been able to return to Ukraine since.

martin

Martin Frankovic, Ph.D.

Slovak republic

5. dan AIKIKAI

Teacher of Transportation and logistics.

  • Ph.D. - in logistics management in a crisis
  • Peacekeeping mission UNFICYP - Commander of Humanitarian Supply Chain Management
  • EUFOR Bosnia-Herzegovina - Senior officer for deployment of humanitarian help
  • ISAF Afghanistan - Logistics officer
  • NGO Logistics manager

How to help

2

Attend – support our Aikido for Ukraine events

3

Organize an aikido event in your country on behalf of the project

(please contact Aikido for Ukraine in advance / see the contact →)

List of events →

4

Become an Angel partner

(Become an Aikido for Ukraine angel for the project, providing expertise and support)

List of Angel partners →

5

Promote and share our project and activities

(visit our facebook page "aikidoforukraine" ↗ - please share)

Questions and answers (FAQ)

What is Aikido for Ukraine?

It is a project of the official NGO Aikido Academy Aikido Akademia ↗ recognized by the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic. From the very beginning the project was built on the effort of volunteers, who showed solidarity and a will to help (“from people for people”). The project is unique with its precise targeting and effectiveness. The help is direct and transparent.

What is the goal of the project?

We look at the goals as: strategic, tactical and operational; long term, middle term and short term; primary, secondary and a tertiary way to fulfill the given task. The project has two phases.

1st Phase: In the first phases we gain information from dojos in Ukraine about their needs and then we create a list of dojos (Applicants). Then we share this with potential donors around the world.

2nd Phase: In the second phase we network. We want to pair dojos in Ukraine with dojos or aikido organizations outside of Ukraine. In so doing, we aim to build bridges, provide a mentoring system, and forge strong bonds between the matched parties that last well beyond the current needs.

Goals:

  • To start the healing process for the current and next generations in Ukraine
  • To use aikido as a tool for recovery
  • To create opportunities for kids to recover
  • To help surviving aikido dojos stay active and to aid dojos that have been forced to close to renew their practise
  • To support instructors who leads classes for kids

What we do?

We gather requests from Ukrainian dojos (see the Application form →). Once an application is received, we evaluate the needs of each dojo in terms of what they require to. In particular, we consider what stay active.

What are the differences compared to other similar projects?

We focus on aikido clubs, aikido kids and their families, and using aikido as a tool for recovery.

Why should you donate?

We deeply appreciate all the support, financial or otherwise, that donors and you are able to give. We know how best to use this support, in terms of where it is needed,, and who needs it and how to deliver support in the most effective way. By working together, we know we can forge a different future for both donors and the recipients of your gifts.

How can I help?

  • donate,
  • attend or support Aikido for Ukraine events
  • organize fundraising seminars,
  • share and promote the project.

Where the donated money go?

Generally:

  • primarily to kids,
  • to kids classes
  • to instructor who works with kids

In particular, we support two different programs:

  • 45% Children Recovery Program
  • 45% Support the Ukrainian clubs in Ukraine
  • 10% Keep the project running

The project is transparent. On our webpage we display all money received and list the donors. We protect the recipients because many of them are located in occupied areas.

Who can apply for help?

Any Ukrainian aikido dojo can apply for support. It does not matter what association the club is affiliated to or if it operates independently.

Real stories and interviews with participants

List of donors

Country Amount Payment day
CZE 200,00 € 16/03/2022
SWE 500,00 € 23/03/2022
CZE 100,00 € 24/03/2022
CZE 200,00 € 24/03/2022
CZE 100,00 € 28/03/2022
SVK 100,00 € 30/03/2022
JPN 520,00 € 07/04/2022
SVK 50,00 € 11/04/2022
UKR 55,00 € 19/04/2022
FRA 200,00 € 21/04/2022
SVK 100,00 € 25/04/2022
HUN 52,51 € 01/06/2022
SVK 100,00 € 05/05/2022
NOR 389,44 € 09/06/2022
USA 91,00 € 09/06/2022
CZE 1 500,00 € 21/07/2022
SVK 300,00 € 06/08/2022
SVK 1 440,00 € 20/07/2022
CZE 200,00 € 20/07/2022
HUN 1 000,00 € 06/12/2022
SWE 627,70 € 29/12/2022
CZE 200,00 € 22/02/2023
NOR 500,00 € 31/05/2023
USA 449,12 € 15/06/2023
JPN 1 013,13 € 26/06/2023
NOR 244,66 € 26/06/2023
NLD 107,58 € 26/06/2023
NOR 244,66 € 26/06/2023
USA 896,94 € 21/08/2023
JPN 500,00 € 24/10/2023

Fundraising aikido seminars

Country City/Town Ambassadors Dates Number of Participants Participants donation
Ukraine Uzhhorod Pekkarinen (SWE) Frankovic (SVK), Pangrac (SVK) 09/04/2022 63 0 €
Romania Cluj Marchis (ROU) Yourkov (BUL) Reguli (CZE), Hochstrasser (HUN) Stegura (UKR) 29.4.-1.5.2022 77 1 320 €
Slovakia Bratislava Nevelius (SWE) 20.5.-22.5.2022 29 1 650 €
Czech Rep. Plzen Stenudd (SWE) 7.7.-10.7. 2022 49 1 440 €
USA Colorado Izawa, Johansson, Premillieu, Villacorta (USA) 18/07/2022 23 1 212 €
Norway Heggedal Halen (NOR) 26.-28.9.2022 10 399 €
Norway Oslo Hatlen, von Arb (NOR) 22.-23.9.2022 26 861 €
Germany Oberursel Hatlen (NOR) 06/10/2022 12 305 €
Czech Rep. Prague Kids seminar 18.-19.2.2023 35 970 €
Czech Rep. Prague International Aikido Marathon 23.-24.9.2023 133 1 200 €
Norway Oslo Halten, von Arb (NOR) 10.12.2023 9 168,29 €
Norway Oslo Fyffe (ENG) 11.-13.1.2019 11 310 €
Ukraine Uzhhorod Stenudd (SWE) 3.-5.11.2023 56 800 €
Ukraine Uzhhorod Frankovic (SVK), Pangrac (SVK) 9.-10.12.2023 115 0 €
Ukraine Kiev Frankovic (SVK), Pangrac (SVK) 16.-17.3.2023 72 0 €
Spain Grenada Kaname ARIGA (JPN) 17.-18.2.2024 100 250 €
Italy Napoli Kaname ARIGA (JPN) 24.-25.2.2024 82 250 €
Japan Sakudaira Donation from participants (JPN) 1.-5.5.2024 220 936 €

Application form / Request for help