Any one of us could’ve been in the shoes of the people we are helping.
The District #1 Charitable Foundation emerged against the backdrop of a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine following the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion. However, the foundation’s story began long before the war, stemming from the activities of its two founders, Andrii Titarenko and Andrii Kopylenko, who evolved from creative industry workers to leaders of a Charitable Organization.
Andrii Kopylenko, a master’s degree graduate in International Economics, dedicated himself to organizing events for foreign non-profit organizations like GIZ and the UN. He progressed from a manager to a co-owner of an agency, shifting from organizing commercial events to running nationwide festivals. Throughout his career as an event planner, Andrii Kopylenko was always interested in collaborating with charitable organizations, simultaneously studying the principles, policies, structures, and implementation options for humanitarian projects.
Andrii Titarenko, a master’s degree graduate in Philology, worked in the advertising and marketing industry for 16 years. During this time, he was a partner in an advertising agency, a co-owner of a clothing brand, and a CMO in Ukrainian and international companies. In 2017, Andrii Titarenko initiated the gentrification festival “Block Party Rayon #1,” aimed at restoring Reitarska Street through funds raised at the venue. The DIY festival quickly gained popularity and was awarded the title of the best event of the year in Ukraine.
Using the festival’s audience as a base, Andrii Kopylenko and Andrii Titarenko decided to gather a volunteer movement for humanitarian aid in the de-occupied Kyiv region. This initiative was proposed by Andrii Kopylenko after visiting villages in the south of Ukraine, where he saw how little help was provided to civilians in de-occupied and gray zones. Within a month, the volunteer movement became so systematic that it was decided to transform it into the Charitable Organization District #1, aimed at overcoming the consequences of humanitarian disasters and restoring infrastructure, upon which social and humanitarian changes are implemented.
We utilize no more than 10% of the received funds for the foundation’s operational activities, while 90% are directed towards helping those in need.
We have implemented transparent and strict procurement policies, allowing us to select the most effective contractors and vendors at reasonable costs for our projects.
We regularly and systematically report to our partners about the targeted and transparent use of funds according to their standards. We also offer our own reporting system developed by District #1 if the partner’s policies don’t dictate specific requirements.
Budget Optimization in Construction
Formulating budgets in construction projects is complex, often inaccurate, and always expensive, with a significant portion of the funds typically consumed by intermediary companies.
Understanding this, District #1 has created and continually develops an in-house team functioning as a development structure. This enables us to work directly with contractors who perform the actual work on the construction site.
In terms of reconstruction, our fund essentially acts as a non-profit development organisation staffed with architects, engineers, and specialists in managing construction projects.
The primary focus of the fund is Ukraine’s reconstruction, livelihood opportunities, and the provision of humanitarian aid to the population.
District #1 operates in almost all regions of Ukraine affected by the devastating impact of the war and has a number of local partners helping to expand the geography of assistance.
Our goal is to become an international humanitarian organization with its headquarters in Ukraine and to continue implementing projects in the future that will improve the lives of Ukrainians through changes in the country’s infrastructure.
Co-founder and COO of the District #1 foundation.
40 years old. Master degree in Philology. 18 years of experience in marketing and advertising.
Before the war, held CMO positions in Ukrainian and international companies. In 2017, founded the gentrification event Rayon #1 Block Party, which turned into a charitable organization together with Andrii Kopylenko during the war.
Co-founder and CEO of the District #1 foundation.
28 years old. Master degree in International Economics.
Before the war, organized conferences for foreign non-profit organizations like GIZ and the UN in Ukraine and music festivals all around Ukraine. Since the first days of the war, he participated in the UNICEF projects to support IDP children as a project manager and was independently engaged in humanitarian volunteering.
