#Operation Ukraine
Twenty days after we started raising funds for Ukranian refugees we landed in Krakow, 4 out of the 5 of us who have been making this happen from a fundraising perpsective. Big thanks to Maggie, Jack (our ideas man), Pip and Paul and of course our local supporters on the ground!
A gentle reminder the link to donate is https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jbukraine?utm_term=dAM4yJKDv
We had been introduced to a Polish guy on the ground before we arrived. A lad called Irek who it transpires is actually a second hand car dealer but who has been helping Ukranians since everything kicked off. Irek was our designated man with a van and very much lad about town. First stop was a Makro for a monster pickup!
The first place we stopped to meet Ukranian families was a fire station and typically any preconceptions we had went out of the window when the reality of what had happened to these families met us. There were probably 30 people staying here on makeshift beds in a shared room with access to the most basic of facilities. We had bought a shedload of practical stuff; washing powder, food, toiletries but also added some sweets and easter eggs for the kids who were over the moon. It is always the little things! I’m not ashamed to admit I was in tears within seconds and had to pull myself together as it was all smiles and attempts to communicate from the people we met. They were astonished we were from England (not sure what that says).
These women were playing mum and dad and had more than often lost or left their husbands, brothers, fathers and sometimes elder sons to the fighting in Ukraine. During the drop off another Ukranian lady arrived, she had 4 children and asked if we could fill up her boot as she was living in the next town over. Of course we obliged and got cracking. As we pulled away we were all pretty emotional about our first trip! Our resident A&E nurse Pip has slightly more hands on experience than most and provided a pep talk which frankly saw us all thro!
Next stop was another fire station, we were a few hours outside of Krakow now edging closer to the border. There were more people here, probably 30+ and the fire station had been converted into bedrooms so a little more privacy but makeshift cookers were in the lobby and a chap was trying to sort out electricity as we arrived. Loads of kids were just cracking on and playing on the basketball court; until their mums asked them to help unpack the van.
We then moved onwards up into the hills and were taken to a hotel where the owner had thrown open the doors to his place when the war started. There were about a dozen people here and loads more expected to arrive tomorrow. The hotel was beautiful with fabulous scenery. We shook hands with the owner and then got cracking with the unloading. The easter eggs and haribo continued to be a firm favourite. Our driver explained one of the ladies we met had 2 children and had adopted a further 3 after her neighbours property was missiled and her neighbours killed 10 days ago. This lady had a baby on her hip and greeted and welcomed us with a smile. What an absolute hero!
Our final stop with this first load from Makro was to a storage facility setup where Ukranian families could stop to pickup essentials.
We then drove back to Krakow and back into the Makro for a second monster shopping trip. This time with a different list of stuff; nappies, sanitary products, shampoo, deodorants, razors, fresh food for making sandwiches, peanuts and bottles of water. This ‘run’ was for Anna’s place who we were soon to meet and for a drop off to the bus and train station where we would meet people coming straight into Poland from Ukraine after an 11 hour journey.
Anna is a 50 year old lady who shared with me that her life long ambition had been to help the poor and she had always wanted to build a health foundation. She just never expected to be doing so under the circumstances of a war with her bordering country. Our driver later shared Anna is personally not well which I think again just goes to show how people prioritise others in a time of need. Anna is an absolute angel and we are planning how we can continue to support her and the ukranian families when we return to the UK.
We left Anna with some cash for petrol so she wasnt paying out of her own pocket for at least a few days and then headed off to the bus and train station for the final stops of the day. We got back to our hotel about 11pm absolutely wiped out and crashed.
I’m writing this at 6am the following morning as I’m desperate to both journal if for the people who have donated and to urge others to make a donation. We have another full day ahead where we are meeting a husband and wife who are filling a van and driving to the border today and another contact who is looking for supplies for refugee camps.
My absolute take away’s from day 1 are that these people are just like us and it is mind blowing to think something like this can be happening to them. Their bravery, strength and resilience blows me away and something we have all talked about since we landed is what love and support the Polish people have shown to their neighbours. We can all learn a thing to two about how utterly selfless they have been.
