I have always believed in the quiet power of people coming together for the good of others. That belief drew me to WiRED International and its mission to prevent disease and to serve those too often left behind.
When war reached Ukraine, I had the opportunity to support WiRED’s Health and First Aid Training Program. I translated 33 community health worker training modules into Ukrainian, knowing that these resources could empower people facing unimaginable hardship.
So why do I volunteer?
The answer goes back to my childhood and to an understanding that every action plants seeds for the future. When we act with kindness and compassion today, we create a better tomorrow — for ourselves and for others. In this sense, my volunteering is both altruistic and, in a way, selfish: doing good today inevitably grows into more good in the future.
I am inspired by the teachings of my meditation teacher, S.N. Goenka, who spoke of four types of people:
Those running from darkness to darkness- Those running from brightness to darkness
- Those running from darkness to brightness
- And those running from brightness to brightness
My aim is to walk the path of brightness — transforming pain with wisdom and responding to suffering with compassion.
This way of life was modeled for me by my grandfather, Ivan Lytvyn. Orphaned as a child, he survived multiple Holodomors — famines in the 1920s and 1930s engineered by Moscow to suppress Ukraine’s independence movement, which claimed millions of lives. Later, as an infantry soldier in World War II, he was wounded several times but survived. His credo was simple: under any circumstances — regardless of money, mood, or strength — always help others: friends, strangers and even enemies.
In Ukraine, we say: “Give your last shirt.” My grandfather lived by this principle. My parents did as well. I grew up surrounded by people who exemplified that.
How does my work serve the commons?
Volunteering with WiRED connects me to something larger than myself. It is not only about doing good, it is about doing good together. Collaborating with people who share this purpose brings me deep joy.
I have been especially inspired by Gary Selnow and the WiRED team. Even through a simple email or phone call, I could feel their sincerity and commitment. They are people with good hearts, who dedicate their lives to uplifting others.
Decades ago, I took the Hippocratic Oath in medical school. Later, I took the Bodhisattva vow: to help all beings and harm none. Those vows still guide me today.
I believe the world is one family, and every person, in their own way, seeks happiness. When I help others move toward that happiness — even in small ways — it brings joy to me as well.
May all beings be happy. May all be peaceful. May all be free.
Mr. Taras Lytvyn, born in Kyiv, holds a degree in biology from Kyiv National University and a master’s degree from the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, with postgraduate studies in molecular immunology at the Palladin Institute of Biochemistry and in ecology at the Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy. Alongside his academic background, he has worked as a translator and reporter for IntelNews, BridgeNews, Zefir magazine, and the daily newspaper Gazeta24. He now serves as Supervisor of the Blue Mountain Institute in Europe, while also working at Sonnenhof, a Swiss center for people with special needs. Mr. Lytvyn is married, a father of three, and currently resides in Switzerland.
Comment by Gary Selnow
Three years ago, when Russia invaded Ukraine, we at WiRED knew that the country’s health care system would take a serious hit. We had seen the same thing happen in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq, where war-devastated communities left people struggling to access even basic medical care. In each of those places, WiRED stepped in to provide health and medical education, and we knew Ukraine would soon need the same kind of support.
This time, though, the situation was different. Technology had advanced, and so had our ability to reach people. In earlier years, we had teams on the ground setting up computer-based training centers in the Balkans and Iraq. For Ukraine, we were able to deliver our educational programs remotely through the Internet and mobile phone apps, which meant we could act faster and reach more people, even in the middle of a war.
Our expanded Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program includes 34 modules, all originally written in English. Translating the entire program into Ukrainian was a huge task (nearly a thousand pages) and we needed someone not only fluent in both languages but also familiar with medical terms to make sure everything was accurate. (click here for story.)
That’s when a colleague of many years, Carol Leininger, who was working in Switzerland, mentioned she knew someone who might help. She connected us with Taras Lytvyn, who immediately volunteered to take on the job. Taras began translating right away, spending hours each day carefully working through the modules. His skill with language, and his medical background, made him the perfect person for this challenge.
Because of Taras’s dedication, WiRED has been able to bring our CHW training materials to people in Ukraine through our mobile app, HealthMAP (for both Android and iOS). Today, even as the war continues, Ukrainians can access this training on their phones and learn essential health and first aid skills that help their families and communities.
I’m deeply grateful to Taras for his incredible volunteer work and for his commitment to helping his country in such a meaningful way. Thanks to him, WiRED’s CHW training continues to make a difference in Ukraine — one lesson, one volunteer and one community at a time.
—Gary Selnow, WiRED Executive Director
