March 5, 2022

08:03

Priscilla Peixoto – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Against the backdrop of the war occurring in Eastern Europe between Russia and Ukraine, Brazilians and people of other nationalities living in neighboring countries of the confrontation zone have united to help and welcome Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Poland.

Food, personal hygiene items, diapers, warm clothing, blankets, and clothes are some of the elements that make up the donations that volunteers in the Polish city of Wrocław are giving to the refugees in the region, as the Brazilian student Maria da Luz*, who lives there, tells us.

“Some of the donations are already being given to the Ukrainians in the city where I live, and a part will be sent to Lviv, which is a city on the border with Poland and is the way people are getting in, and we are taking the donations. These donations are taken by specific and responsible people because not everyone is able to cross the border because it is very complicated there, so we organize collection points”, says the management student, who has been living in Wrocław for three years.

Network of support

In Poland, collection points are distributed in all public schools in the city and at the train station. “There are several places, because there are people doing these actions on their own initiative”, points out Maria*. Besides Brazilians who live in Poland, those who live in Brazil can also help.

According to the student, in Brazil there are also help points for refugees such as Ukra Bar, a Ukrainian bar located in Curitiba. The establishment holds an action, on behalf of the Ukrainian Central Representation, to collect money transferred to Ukraine.

The Ukra Bar’s page is available on the social network Instagram, where all the instructions are given to those who want to contribute with some amount to buy items for the refugees. The student mentions that some specific products are the most needed, such as canned food and hygiene products.

Union

“I see a great willingness from people here in Poland to help. The Brazilians are very united and willing. Search in Brazil, too, where you can do your part. The mobilization is real, although the context is sad, it is beautiful to see this empathy”, she concludes.

It is worth mentioning that Poland has become one of the main destinations for refugees; so far 650,000 Ukrainians have arrived in the country. Hungary is the destination of 145,000 refugees, followed by Moldova, with 103,000, and Slovakia and Romania, with 90,000 and 57,000, respectively.

*Maria da Luz is a fictitious name to preserve the identity of the source who, for security reasons, preferred not to have her name revealed.