While some spend the summer on holiday, trying to rest and switch off, others simply keep working – and helping Ukrainians fighting Russia. Dainora and Darius Kuliešos, IT specialists from the southern Lithuanian town of Prienai with five children, are among them. They collect new and mostly second-hand electronic equipment, repair it, and send it to Ukraine.
Dainora explains that most of the electronics eventually repaired and sent to Ukraine come from donations.
“We in Prienai contribute to Justas Gavėnas’ initiative Visos Upės Teka (All Rivers Flow). In the grand scheme of things, we’re just a small part of it,” Dainora says.
“I wouldn’t say the equipment is all poor quality. It’s all sorts, but we do our best to fix it. We have the parts and the space to dismantle equipment, replace components, and make it functional again. Then, depending on its capacity, we sort it into categories and assign it a place accordingly,” Darius describes the repair process.
Dainora names the categories they use for their repaired equipment: snails, ponies, and eagles. These symbols help to identify each category quickly without needing detailed specifications.
“The animals speak for themselves because we print stickers. No lengthy translations or instructions are needed – you can tell the level of the computer and its category at a glance,” she explains.
The All Rivers Flow initiative has been running for nearly a year. Darius empahsises that the equipment sent to Ukraine is measured not in units, but in cars.
“Basically, we prepare a certain amount of equipment, load it into our car or that of another volunteer, and send it to a central warehouse. From there, a lorry takes it to where it’s needed,” he says.
The couple notes that electronic equipment is needed everywhere in Ukraine: schools, hospitals, the military, government offices, and refugee centres.
“We’ve seen photos of hospitals that received computers we prepared – and then the hospital was shelled. [...] That means they need equipment again. [...] Computers are needed in different capacities: the military and drone operators need them for control, which is easier on a big screen, so TVs are also required. There’s a lot that’s needed,” Dainora says.
“And it’s not just for bombed hospitals or the military. There’s civil infrastructure, too. Refugee centres need consoles or TVs for children displaced by the war. They can’t go outside, so what else can they do? At least they can play games while sitting inside. People donate consoles, Xboxes, and other items,” Darius adds.
He underlines that technology is needed across all sectors. Ukraine requires not just computers but also phones, tablets, audio equipment, and projectors.
“Phones are essential for communication. If you’re a soldier, you might have to run off quickly and could lose your device. It’s good that equipment arrives ready to use,” Darius explains.
The couple also refurbish and send 4G and 5G antennas for signal transmission and broadcasting, donated by the public.
“I’ve personally gone to people’s homes, and, when allowed, climbed onto roofs, and disconnected 4G antennas and cables. For someone no longer using 4G, it’s just junk on the roof, but in a war zone it can be crucial for establishing communication,” Darius says.
Balancing work, family life with five children, and helping Ukrainians is challenging, but the couple do what they can.
“We don’t aim to repair everything or meet strict deadlines. We just try to do what we can. You can’t give 200 percent all the time. It’s unrealistic. You work your job, get emotionally drawn to fixing a computer or ten, or it’s bad weather and you can’t go outside – then you focus on the screen of a TV or computer you’re repairing. That’s leisure in a way,” Darius explains.
“When people ask how I manage, I tell them I don’t. I have so many plans that I can’t do everything, so I accept that and focus on what I can do best with what’s available. That’s the answer – you can’t do it all,” Dainora adds.
Asked why they take on this work, the couple says simply: “If not us, who?”
“Nothing will fix itself. Bombs fall, people die, and the situation is uncertain. This is our chance, however small, to have a positive impact,” Darius says.
“People need help. If I have the knowledge and skills to improve a situation, I should use them. The war doesn’t end. Helping once isn’t enough. Take the hospital – we helped once, but if equipment is destroyed, it’s needed again,” Dainora concludes.
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