One year after attacks on their country began, members of the ISACA Kyiv (Ukraine) Chapter continue to express appreciation for a resounding show of support from their ISACA colleagues around the globe.
In an ISACA video titled “ISACA. Community. Resilience.,” several members of the Kyiv Chapter reflect on the past year and how outreach from ISACA chapters outside Ukraine have, as one member put it, created “a feeling of brotherhood.” Gestures have been as dramatic as offers to help transport family members out of the country to safety, as practical as financial contributions to relief funds and as personal as one-on-one-calls to provide emotional support.
“It feels like the entire globe is backing Ukraine with this struggle,” said Gennadii, a member of the ISACA Kyiv Chapter, in the video.
That backing has been on display among several ISACA chapters around the world. Stanislav, a US-based ISACA member who has family in Ukraine, is among those who have extended his support.
“One of the things of being an ISACA member and having the ability to contact someone in another part of the world who is also an ISACA member, you have that relationship to start some level of trust,” Stanislav said. “I’m very grateful that I have the ability to connect with other chapters and make a difference in the world.”
Paulius, of the ISACA Lithuania Chapter, said there was an outpouring of sentiment to help Ukrainian colleagues from the moment Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022.
“Many members from our chapter contacted us and asked how they could help, how they could contribute,” Paulius said. “Without hesitation, our chapter assisted in helping the Ukrainian people from the very beginning. We provided financial support and found people who could assist in other ways as well. The motivation to help the Ukrainian people was obvious. We could not sit back and watch.”
Added Radka, of the ISACA Czech Republic Chapter: “We had ISACA as a strong community because we were colleagues, [then,] we became friends and now we are becoming a part of the family. So, we are helping each other in work, but also if it’s needed, we can help personally, so this is very important.”
Despite the upheaval of the past year, Oleksii, ISACA Kyiv Chapter member, said in the video that the chapter has continued to function, conducting several meetings focused on topics such as crisis management, incident response and disaster recovery.
Chapter members have been heartened to see that their resilience has not gone unnoticed throughout the ISACA community. Anastasiia, another Kyiv Chapter member and past chapter president, said that in addition to personal outreach and offers to assist the chapter, donations to official humanitarian and armed forces accounts in Ukraine have been appreciated.
One year into the struggle – and with no clear end in sight – Anastasiia and her colleagues remain steadfast in their commitment to making the most of their lives and careers despite the adversity they face on a daily basis. In her case, that involves continuing her assurance and consulting work in risk management, technology and cybersecurity.
“Nobody knows when, how and for how long peace returns,” Anastasiia wrote in a Q&A interview. “Looking forward in such uncertainty is counterproductive – reality almost certainly will differ. It is the reason not to wait for a change in environment, but to act in pursuit of goals.”