The team from the Saarpfalz district women's office has been collecting medical aids for several months to support a fundraising campaign organised by the non-profit organisation "Zukunft für Otschakiw" (Future for Ochakiv). Now it was an eyewitness when, among other things, rollators worth around 30,000 euros were loaded into a lorry from Dr. Theiss Naturwaren, which then set off for Ochakiv in the Ukraine. Giuseppe Nardi, Managing Partner of Dr. Theiss Naturwaren GmbH, District Administrator Frank John, Women's Representative Dr Susanne Nimmesgern, European Representative and Head of the Europe Unit Dr Violetta Frys and supporters of the donation campaign were among those who attended the event.
24 February marked the fourth anniversary of the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Many people left their homeland to seek refuge abroad. In the Saarpfalz district too, many Ukrainian refugees are trying to find their feet and build a new life for themselves. The women's office of the Saarpfalz district has been offering counselling in various life situations and various language courses for years, which is why it has become a much frequented contact point for refugees. As part of a low-threshold language course, the idea was born in November 2025 to support a fundraising campaign organised by the non-profit association "Zukunft für Otschakiw".
Ochakiv is a small town on the Black Sea in southern Ukraine, around 70 kilometres east of Odessa, which has lost half of its population as a result of the war. Most of those left behind are elderly people, children and a large number of injured people for whom there is virtually no support. A year ago, committed residents therefore set up a private aid organisation that primarily looks after children and war invalids. The local organisation is run by Viktoria Chorna, whose mother attends the language course run by the Women's Office in Homburg. She asked for support in collecting medical supplies, which are hard to come by in Ukraine.
To kick off the campaign, the Women's Office organised a Ukrainian afternoon at the beginning of December 2025 with typical Ukrainian dishes, an arts and crafts exhibition and a children's choir performing Ukrainian folk songs. The event met with lively interest and numerous helpers from the Women's Office were busy for days preparing delicious Ukrainian specialities in large quantities. The donation box was also quickly filled and its contents were invested in urgently needed care products for Ochakiv.
The response from the public to the appeal for donations of medical supplies was overwhelming, and the staff of the Women's Office were busy for weeks collecting, registering and, if necessary, cleaning the generously provided supplies throughout the district. The BIGRAtec medical supply shop in Saarbrücken also took part in the campaign. In addition to numerous walking aids and rollators, it provided an electric care bed and two electric wheelchairs. As their batteries were no longer functional, the Homburg-based company Saarbatt generously provided four devices at its own expense.
District Administrator Frank John emphasised the great commitment in the Saarpfalz district to the Ukrainian friends and the continuity of the humanitarian bridge to Ukraine. He thanked all those who initiated and participated in the donation campaign. "In view of the unbelievable suffering in Ukraine, our solidarity and willingness to help the people there are still required. A project of this magnitude would be inconceivable without strong partners from our local economy. Special thanks therefore go to Dr Theiss Naturwaren. It not only provides us with the necessary logistics and transport capacities for the transport to Ochakiv, but has also been a reliable pillar of our aid efforts since the beginning of the war," said the District Administrator.
The European department of the Saarpfalz district, which is responsible for cross-border exchange with the European partner districts, established contact with Dr Theiss Naturwaren. The company, which has been known in Homburg for years for its active support of cultural and sporting events as well as social projects, immediately agreed to collect the relief supplies from the women's office, pack them and prepare them for transport.
Giuseppe Nardi emphasised: "For us, supporting the people in Ukraine has been an expression of our social responsibility as a company since the beginning of the war. All the more reason for us to welcome the initiative of the Saarpfalz district and the dedicated Ukrainian volunteers who have made this aid transport possible with their great personal commitment. We are happy to participate again and support the current transport with a generator for a hospital in Kiev, among other things. Reliable medical care is of crucial importance, especially under the current conditions. I would like to thank everyone involved for their extraordinary commitment. This joint action is a strong sign of solidarity in action."
The fundraising campaign organised by the district's own women's office is another example of the great civic commitment and successful cooperation between various players in the Saarpfalz district.