The Quiet of a Nightlife Paradise is Now a Haven for War Victims

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

Yasya Golovko, humanitarian volunteer, Vyshniakov organization, carries humanitarian aid items in a room at the Nightclub "Heaven" in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday (14/6/2022). The nightclub was converted into a shelter for relief goods for war victims and Ukrainian soldiers who were on the front line.

From the outside, there is nothing special about the Heaven nightclub located in the city center of Kyiv on Tuesday (14/6/2022) – except that there are no signs of it operating. The doors are always closed. The windows are dark. The light up sign is turned off.

When you look inside the building, the nightclub resembles more of a warehouse. Cardboard boxes containing various items are stacked in the corners of the room. The Ukrainian flag is hung on the wall. The area typically used by bartenders has been turned into an office, with several computers there.

“The owner of the nightclub allowed us to use the space. We only pay for the electricity,” said Yasya Golovko, a humanitarian volunteer for the Pavlo Vyshniakov charity organization. Before the war, the young woman was an assistant director for several films in Ukraine.

Also read:

> Digital Applications Help Kyiv Residents

> McGee’s first war

During our visit, most of the volunteers were busy going back and forth into Heaven carrying piles of cardboard boxes. Others were doing tasks related to administration. Each cardboard box was stacked and arranged according to its use to make it easier for distribution.

The cardboard boxes inside the club contain medicine, canned food, drinking water, baby food, baby diapers, sanitary napkins and clothes. These items were donated to the Pavlo Vyshniakov organization to be distributed to locations on the frontlines of battle.

To give an illustration, the cities in Ukraine that have turned into battlefields between Ukrainian and Russian troops are Kharkiv and several cities in the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Several other cities have fallen into Russian hands, including Mariupol and Kherson.

Filmmakers

The charity organization based in the nightclub was named after its founder, Pavlo Vyshniakov, who is a film actor in Ukraine. Inevitably, most of the members of the organization were part of the Ukrainian film industry. They were moved to establish a humanitarian organization to help refugees and soldiers on the frontlines once the war broke out.

Before, the organization’s volunteers were more familiar with cameras, sets and the frenetic world of entertainment. But as soon as the war broke out, they took it upon themselves to help war victims and Ukrainian soldiers by managing humanitarian aid in Kyiv. They collect donations from various sources and then distribute them to other regions in Ukraine.

“I used to spend my time thinking about what to do for the next film. Now, as soon as I wake up, I have to think about what victims might need and how we can channel it,” said Yasya, who has been in the film industry for a decade.

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

A volunteer for the Vyshniakov organization, arranges humanitarian aid items in a room at the Nightclub "Heaven" in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 14, 2022. The nightclub was converted into a shelter for relief goods for war victims and Ukrainian soldiers who were on the front line.

Pavlo Vyshniakov volunteers also started working as humanitarian volunteers in other organizations after Russia first attached Ukraine on 24 February 2022. When they saw the casualties of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians caused by the Russian attack, they felt they had to do something.

“On 28 February, I remember being contacted by a friend who told me how bad this war has been. Then, I felt I had to do something. We have many contacts in the entertainment world. So, why not just create our own organization to distribute aid?” said Yasya.

On 28 February, I remember being contacted by a friend who told me how bad this war has been. Then, I felt I had to do something.

Like Yasya, every volunteer has their reasons for joining the organization. Dmutro Popolitov, for one, originally worked as part of the production crew for a private television show in Kyiv. Initially, he tried to go to the military volunteer recruitment center. “But I was rejected,” said Popolitov, who is usually called Pete.

Popolitov had no war experience and had never participated in military training. “I am not giving up though. I’m looking for other ways to help,” he said. He then contacted his acquaintances in the television and film production circles. From them he got to know the Vyshniakov organization.

Working in silence

Once the filmmakers decided to do something together, the Pavlo Vyshniakov organization was officially formed on 20 March 2022. By early April, they began using the Heaven nightclub thanks to founder Pavlo Vyshniakov’s connections. Vyshniakov said that before becoming an actor, he had been involved in the nightlife business, so he had a number of colleagues in the industry, including the owner of Heaven.

“I was used to the nightlife and loud music. But as a humanitarian movement, we now work in silence,” said Vyshniakov, who also goes by Vasya.

Vasya also felt he had to do something in this war. He took advantage of his connections and popularity to help many people. Before the war, he was one of the most famous actors in Ukraine. He used this popularity to persuade people to donate to war victims.

Also read:

> Hope for War Ending Soon Echoes in Maidan Nezalezhnosti

> Russian missile attacks shock 8-year-old Angelina

The organization was named after him, not because he wanted to be known but because it was agreed upon by the volunteers. Pavlo’s popularity could be used to raise donations.

War can change everything. The lives of war victims see a 180-degree change due to the loss of family, property and homes. These circumstances would trigger anyone’s sympathy and urge them to do something. The filmmakers who are part of the Pavlo Vyshniakov organization show us that people from any background are capable of doing good.

They occupy the Heaven nightclub, previously a paradise for nightlife-goers in Kyiv. Now, Heaven is still a paradise – one that houses aid for Ukrainian refugees and soldiers serving on the frontlines of the battle.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.