It’s even better than charity – it’s help to self-help! :) And you don’t donate money – you lend it and then get it back. So both the giver and the donor meet on equal foot.
Yes, my paternal grandma was from Ukraine. So my dad is half-Ukrainian, half Russian, while my mom comes from an old Cossack clan. I was born and grew up in Southern Russia, in the land of Cossacks. I emigrated to Sweden 11 years and 2 days ago. :D