Former World Central Kitchen volunteer based in Phoenixville grieves those lost in Gaza
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (CBS) — Olga Sorzano is still grappling with the heartbreaking loss of seven World Central Kitchen volunteers killed in an airstrike in Gaza on Monday.
The owner of Baba's Brew, a kombucha brewing company in Phoenixville, knows all too well what it's like to be a part of humanitarian aid in conflict zones. She helped with World Central Kitchen in 2022 during the height of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which she called a "heartbreaking" experience.
The native of southern Siberia saw firsthand a basic life-sustaining necessity that she could provide.
"I know that giving them a bowl of hot soup is not gonna solve their problems, but it could solve bringing them sustenance for that moment," she said.
Sorzano still has lasting friendships with the volunteers she's worked with during missions with World Central Kitchen.
"You're all there for the same reason. You're all there to help others … You bond when you meet somebody in this situation," she said.
She grieves for the families of those lost in Gaza, she said, and she hopes their legacy lives on through their passion to make a difference.
Volunteers in warzones "know there is a huge risk …They risk their lives because they want to make changes," she said.
Sorzano said she is going to be donating a portion of the proceeds from her cooking classes to World Central Kitchen for the remainder of 2024.