HONOLULU (KHON2) — In the quiet hum of a Honolulu neighborhood, Oksana Enriquez’s phone buzzes incessantly with requests for help from her homeland, Ukraine.
As a native of the Donetsk region, she has lived through the horrors of war firsthand and refuses to remain silent.
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Despite being thousands of miles away from the front lines, Enriquez, a member of the Ukrainian diaspora, is organizing life-saving efforts for those caught in the ongoing Russian invasion of her country.
Her story is a testament to resilience and the power of human connection in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Enriquez, originally from the town of Kostiantynivka, Ukraine, moved to Hawaiʻi years ago as a high school exchange student; and she later returned to pursue her university education at Hawaiʻi Pacific University.
“Ukraine is my home, and Hawaiʻi is my second home,” she said as she emphasized her unique position as a bridge between two cultures.
Yet, despite the warm embrace of her adopted island community, her heart remains tethered to the land of her birth where the ongoing war instigated by a Russia nearly three years ago has forced millions from their homes and turned everyday life into an unspeakable struggle for survival.
A nation in crisis
“I have to do something,” Enriquez recalled when she realized after watching the invasion unfold from abroad. “I couldn’t just sit still.”
As Russia’s forces began their brutal assault on Ukraine, Enriquez found herself compelled to act’ and she is leveraging her connections and resources to bring aid to those who were suffering.
The war, which began with Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022 has a much longer history that is connected to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, a region of Ukraine, in 20214. The escalation in 2022 into a full-scale invasion erupted across Ukraine as Russia continues to bomb schools, hospitals, maternity wards and residential buildings.
In many ways, Enriquez’s work began at the height of this escalation, when the scope of human suffering reached unbearable levels.
Enriquez’s passion for helping her fellow Ukrainians is grounded in the harsh reality of life in a war zone.
“We are fighting for our life, for our culture, our language and our people,” she said, her voice filled with anguish. “Russia’s fighting is inhumane. And what is happening in Ukraine is not just a war; it is genocide.”
Enriquez’s words are not those of an outsider; they reflect the daily reality of her people.
“The areas occupied by Russian forces are living hells for our civilians,” she added. “Men are recruited to fight against their own families, and children are brainwashed with toxic propaganda.”
The violence is indiscriminate.
“Every single school in my hometown has been bombed,” she said as she choked back emotion. “Including my high school. I went there, stood in the gym and I cried for a moment, then left.”
Hospitals have been destroyed, too.
“One of my best friends was giving birth in a maternity ward when the bombings started. She had to rush with her newborn baby to a shelter minutes after delivery,” she shared.
For Enriquez, the images of destruction are more than just statistics. They are personal memories.
“I was one of the last people to fly out of Donetsk before the fighting began in full force,” she recalled. “I’ve been through so much already. I had to do something to help.”
From Hawaiʻi to the front lines: A global network of compassion
Despite the immense scale of suffering in Ukraine, Enriquez is determined not to let the world forget her people.
“The world’s attention is fading, but the war is still very much alive,” she said with frustration in her voice. “The media doesn’t cover it the way it should, but we continue to fight because we must.”
For Enriquez, the war is not just about Ukraine; it is a global fight against authoritarianism and for democracy.
“This is not just Ukraine’s issue. It’s a fight for the values we all share: democracy, peace, and freedom,” she wared.
Recognizing the limitations of direct military intervention in her situation, Enriquez chose a different path.
“At first, I thought about joining the military, but I don’t know how to fight,” she admited. “So, I decided to use my voice, my network, and my privilege to help in any way I could.”
She began by rallying support through an Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Ukraine that she helped establish. It focuses on providing essential medications and food to those in the hardest-hit regions.
“When the war started, all supply chains were cut off,” she explained. “People couldn’t get the medications they needed, especially those with chronic illnesses or cancer. So, we started bringing medicines from other countries like Turkey and Spain wherever we could find them.”
The efforts were often chaotic and fragmented, but they saved lives. “It was a matter of hours, not weeks,” she emphasized. “People were dying because they couldn’t get the medications they needed to stay alive.”
Enriquez and her network began distributing food to internally displaced people (IDPs) who had fled the war zones in Ukraine.
“We’ve distributed more than 100,000 food packages over the past three years,” she said. “People come with nothing: no homes, no jobs, nothing. So, we provided basic necessities like blankets and food. We also brought generators to power shelters after Russia deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure.”
However, even that couldn’t prevent further tragedies.
“One of the shelters we supported in my hometown was bombed, The bombing killied innocent civilians who had fled the frontline areas,” Enriquez explained. “It was devastating, but we kept going. We had to.”
A call for help: The struggle continues
As the war drags on, Enriquez’s mission remains focused on the most vulnerable victims of Russia’s campaign to kill civilians, the disabled, the elderly and children.
“These are the people who need help the most. They can’t work. They can’t find housing easily,” she said. “The economy is in shambles, and rents are skyrocketing. I’m trying to help them with housing and basic necessities. It’s tough, but I can’t give up.”
She has become a vital link in the chain of aid flowing to Ukraine, and she makes a heartfelt plea for more support.
“Every dollar counts,” she said with urgency. “We buy everything locally — potatoes, rice, sugar, wheat — directly from Ukrainian producers. This helps stimulate the local economy and supports the people who are still there.”
But her efforts are far from over.
“I’ve just closed one fundraiser, but I’m about to open another one,” she said. “We’re working on a GoFundMe and continuing to support the NGO in Ukraine. Every donation helps. Every person who cares makes a difference.”
Enriquez expressed deep gratitude to those who have supported her work, particularly those from her Honolulu community and from Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunrise.
“The people here have been amazing,” she said. “I’ve learned so much from the kindness of people here. It’s incredible.”
Her work, though painful and exhausting, is sustained by a simple truth.
“We help each other,” she reflected. “When one person helps another, that person helps someone else; and the chain keeps going. We all need to do our part, whether we’re in Ukraine or here in Hawaiʻi.”
The future of Ukraine: A battle for survival
The war in Ukraine may have faded from the front pages of many newspapers, but for Enriquez and millions of others, it is still an ongoing crisis.
“We are fighting not just for our survival, but for the future of our culture, our country and our freedom,” she said firmly. “Ukraine has never wanted war. We gave up our nuclear weapons in the 1990s in exchange for security. We wanted peace, not this.”
Yet despite the ongoing destruction and loss, Enriquez’s message remains one of hope.
“I believe in Ukraine’s future. I believe in my people,” she said. “We will rebuild. We will stand tall. And we will never forget the sacrifices made by those who gave everything to protect our country.”
In her eyes, the war is a fight for more than just territory. It’s a battle for humanity itself.
“Dictatorships bring only death,” she warned. “And we must stand united against it, not just for Ukraine, but for the world.”
As Oksana Enriquez continues to fight for her homeland from afar, she remains a beacon of hope in the face of overwhelming darkness.
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Through her efforts, countless lives have been saved and a message of solidarity and compassion has spread across borders.
For her, the fight is far from over. Every day brings new challenges, but Enriquez is determined to ensure that the world does not forget Ukraine.
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Her voice, fueled by the love for her people, continues to rise above the noise: a call for help that cannot be ignored.