Minderoo Foundation has deepened its commitment to the welfare and safety of the Ukrainian people by delivering 169 generators to help maintain critical power supplies to support millions of civilians affected by Russia’s invasion.

Minderoo Foundation, co-founded by Australian philanthropists Dr Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest AO, sourced, purchased, shipped and delivered the generators, worth A$3.2 million, to Poland where they were this week transferred across the border into Ukraine.

The generators, which range in size from 30-60kW, will be deployed by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) in the government’s ‘Points of Invincibility’ project, which delivers stable services to the civilian population at key locations throughout the country.

‘Points of Invincibility’ provides humanitarian assistance in the form of heating, food, water and connectivity points for Ukrainians impacted by power outages because of damages to energy infrastructure by Russian military attacks.

The donation, made at the request of the Ukrainian government, included collaboration with the Polish Strategic Reserves Agency (RARS) and the European Commission.

“Minderoo Foundation goes where we are needed and Ukraine need the generators to provide the electricity, to provide the warmth, the power, the essential services for hospitals, sanitation, plumbing and schools,” Dr Forrest said.

“So, we are out there right now, helping plug back in mums and dads, sons and daughters, back into the power grid when everything goes out because of this inhumane, cruel invasion against civilians.

“The people of Ukraine have shown so much courage and so much bravery that all of us at the Minderoo Foundation feel really emotionally charged to help the people of Ukraine when they are suffering such deep, cruel unfairness.”

In August 2022, Minderoo Foundation helped fund the first maritime shipment of wheat grain from Ukraine for humanitarian operations run by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in a US$1.3 million partnership which provided one month’s food rations for beneficiaries in Ethiopia.

In September, Minderoo Foundation’s US$3 million partnership with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation distributed grain storage equipment and agricultural machinery to more than 1,400 farmers in Ukraine.