He volunteered to teach English to Ukrainian students online through the nonprofit, ENGin. This not only gave him an experience to remember, but allowed him to impact Vasyl, a 21-year-old student living in Ukraine, through his lessons. 

Brames shared his experience and story of being a part of something so significant:

My IB Global Politics class opened my eyes to the devastating impact of the war in Ukraine, and I wanted to help in any way I could. After research, I reached out to ENGin to express my interest in volunteering to teach English to Ukrainian students. The application process involved a 30-minute interview with an ENGin representative, a two-hour training session, and learning to navigate their platform.  

Once officially accepted, I joined thousands of volunteers assisting Ukrainian learners, many of whom had been waiting for support. I tutored Vasyl for nine months, aiming to meet weekly for an hour. The time zone difference sometimes made scheduling challenging, but summers provided much more flexibility since I was not in school. Before each session, I spent about 30 minutes preparing materials, including PowerPoint presentations, videos, and discussion topics. ENGin requires a minimum 12-week commitment, but Vasyl and I continued beyond that because I felt I was genuinely helping him, and we found ways to make the scheduling work. More importantly, we became friends along the way.

I would say I learned just as much—if not more—than Vasyl. I picked up a few Ukrainian words from Vasyl: ‘Pryvit’ means ‘Hi,’ ‘Do Pobachennia’ means ‘Goodbye,’ and ‘Dobranich’ means ‘Goodnight.’ He would often start or end our sessions with these greetings. Through our conversations, I gained firsthand insight into how war affects innocent civilians. Beyond language and music, Vasyl shared the harsh realities of daily life in Ukraine. There is a curfew that prohibits walking at night, electricity is turned off in certain areas during the day, and air raid alarms are constant.  

For my most recent Global Politics Engagement Activity Paper, I interviewed Vasyl about his understanding of the Fourth Geneva Conventions and incorporated his perspective into my analysis of how the world is failing to protect the innocent. He shared how mass displacement in Ukraine has driven rent prices up in his town and how Russia continuously violates the Fourth Geneva Conventions by targeting hospitals and schools—yet little is done to address these violations. Air raid sirens have become a normal part of his daily life.  

Beyond the academic and political insights, this experience gave me a new friend in Ukraine. The most rewarding part? Vasyl landed a job at a computer company—and he conducted the entire interview in English. Knowing I played even a small role in his success has been incredibly fulfilling.  

Since 2020, ENGin has supported 26,000 students— 99% improved their English, 79% formed friendships with their tutors, and 42% earned a promotion or a new job. Even from nearly 6,000 miles away, you can have a lasting impact.  

For more information or to volunteer, visit enginprogram.org.