Anna Harus: A Wartime NGO Leader

This conversation follows Anna Harus, a Ukrainian economist turned humanitarian leader who grew a small Kharkiv NGO from three volunteers into a UN-accredited organization reaching more than 200,000 war-affected people across eight regions, reveals what it takes to deliver aid under air attacks and rolling blackouts, and why efficiency became a matter of survival. From preparing the UN accreditation paperwork by flashlight during Russia’s strikes on the power grid to building the digital systems that now are shared with other NGOs to help them work faster, Anna exposes the realities of displacement and trauma that rarely make the news. She also discusses her NGO restoring schools and shelters where around 160,000 children and teachers study and work, self-defense and empowerment training for more than 11,000 women and girls, what recovery will demand of her generation, and how people abroad can genuinely support Ukraine – starting with staying curious. Disclaimer: All beneficiary stories and testimonies featured in this video were shared with the concerned individuals’ informed consent for their stories to be used publicly in external communications and publications.