Kiwi K.A.R.E Founder Awarded Ukraine’s Order of Merit for Humanitarian Leadership

PRESS RELEASE Kyiv, Ukraine – Tenby Powell, founder and chairman of Kiwi K.A.R.E, has been presented with the Order of Merit of Ukraine by Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko on behalf of President Volodymyr Zelensky. “This prestigious honor recognizes Tenby and the New Zealand charity’s sustained frontline contribution since 2022, most notably the evacuation of over 7,000 people, the fabrication and distribution of some 8,000 stoves and water boilers, and over 3,500 tonnes of medical aid, including 75 ambulances and support vehicles, delivered to Ukraine” says Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia and New Zealand.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “It is a significant humanitarian effort which has helped save countless lives in some of the country’s most dangerous regions”. When asked about being awarded this honor by President Zelenskyy, Powell cited a wide team network who made their humanitarian work possible. “This award is a profound honor, but it is by no means mine alone,” says Powell. “It belongs to every member of the dedicated Kiwi K.A.R.E teams in Ukraine, supported by members in New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Romania and the U.S”. Powell, who became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in April, was presented the Ukrainian Order of Merit in front of a Kiwi K.A.R.E ambulance that was hit by a Russian drone in 2024 in the Kherson region. Since then, the charity has been targeted six times with three ambulances written off. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Buys 70 ATACMS Missiles From Turkey The US State Department has notified Congress of a massive arms transfer from Turkey to Ukraine, including 70 ATACMS missiles and 12 M270 MLRS launchers. The Kiwi K.A.R.E ambulance, together with other civilian vehicles, sits on Mykhailivs’ka Square in central Kyiv as testimony of the extreme dangers of humanitarian service in a modern warfare environment. “Drones have arrived and the rules have gone”, says Powell. “Anyone and everything is a target, including a well-marked civilian ambulance, the destruction of which is a war crime.” Kiwi K.A.R.E operates entirely without New Zealand government funding, relying on the ongoing support of private donors, philanthropic partners and volunteers. The charity remains focused on practical, high-impact assistance in partnership with Ukrainian authorities and communities. “A huge and heartfelt thank you also goes to every one of our funding supporters and donors across New Zealand and beyond. Without you, none of this would have been achieved”, says Powell “Put simply - you have helped save lives. That is the real achievement”. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.