European Friends help Ukrainian war refugees.
'Children are terribly traumatised… there doesn’t seem to be much understanding of how exhausted, and scared these women are. They are trying to look good and hide their fear.’
European Quakers have spoken more about the work they are doing to support Ukrainian refugees.
Roland Rand from the Tallinn Friends Group in Estonia, who volunteers at a refugee centre, said that ‘numbers of war refugees are coming every day, mainly women with children. The men have stayed behind to defend Ukraine’.
‘Their homes have been bombed. They have only been able to take with them essential items. They are optimistic that the war will end soon and can return to their home. However, this may take a long time. Many of these refugees will need long-term arrangements for housing, schools, medical care… Estonia and other Baltic states face an immediate challenge. Many refugees have not been vaccinated and this is a risk to a local society. Free medical care and Covid tests are distributed to refugees… Hotels are all full. Many are housed in the city’s gyms and sports halls. The state pays for free accommodation (a hotel/hostel) for one month only. After that they must find a place to stay. So many good people have taken refugees into their homes. We are grateful to [State College Meeting in Pennsylvania] for their donations during this difficult time.’
Meanwhile, Quakers in the Central European Gathering are understood to be supporting relief work in Prague and looking into raising funds for psychosocial work with Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Polish Friend Kasia Kaczmarkiewicz, who volunteers as an interpreter, said that funding psychological care and childcare for refugees is crucial. Most are mothers with children, she said, or elderly people. Some stay only a night or two and then go further to Europe, USA or Canada. ‘But there are also people who have no idea what to do with themselves… Children are terribly traumatised… but there doesn’t seem to be much understanding of how exhausted, and scared these women are. They are trying to look good and hide their fear.’
The Quakers in Britain website has a page on the Ukraine crisis and forced migration which offers some ways to support those fleeing violent conflict.
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