Ukrainians in Guildford Launch Campaign to Help 15-year-old War Victim

Published on: 1 Sep, 2025
Updated on: 2 Sep, 2025

Campaigners in Guildford launch their initiative to help Viktoriia

Viktoriia, a 15-year-old girl from Kherson in Ukraine, lost her left arm when a Russian missile struck the house where she was sleeping.

Now, Ukrainians in Guildford have launched an appeal to raise £15,000 to provide Viktoriia with a prosthetic arm.

On August 24, which is Ukrainian Independence Day, they held a flash mob in Stoke Park, attended by more than 50 people, which was followed by a walk to the Ukrainian School in Surrey in Waterden Road. There, they planted a memorial tree to honour those Ukrainians who have lost their lives in the war.

The fundraising initiative is part of an international project, “Unity in Every Step”, which was launched by Ukrainians living in the UK in partnership with the American Protez Foundation. The aim is to provide prosthetics to civilians, defenders and children in Ukraine, helping to restore their mobility and dignity.

Since the project began, more than 12 children and thousands of adults have already received new limbs at clinics in Kyiv, Svaliava, and Minnesota. The campaign has gathered momentum, with Ukrainian communities in Ukraine, Canada, Chile, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Latvia and Scotland organising peaceful rallies and flash mobs in cities worldwide to raise awareness and support for those who have lost limbs during the war.

Inna Haitan, Co-Founder of the Project, said: “Unity In Every Step aims to support people with amputations and to change society’s attitude towards them. Ukraine needs a new social and cultural movement, where a person with a prosthesis or an amputation is not seen with pity, but with dignity, respect, solidarity, and gratitude. We cannot wait until the war is over — we must act now. We want people with prostheses not only to be physically restored, but also socially integrated. This is our main goal.

“We held our flash mob and walk to show support, strength, and unity with people living with amputations. We want the whole world to see: these people are not alone. They are supported.”

Viktoriia has already been through more than 20 surgeries and has suffered months of pain.

Anyone wishing to offer support can visit the JustGiving page for the Protez Foundation. Every pound donated will help provide Viktoriia with a custom-made prosthetic arm through the Protez Foundation.