It started with a poster: Collection for Ukraine. A friend, John, was travelling with an articulated lorry filled with aid to help Ukrainian refugees fleeing their war-torn country. Another friend, Paul, rang me wanting to do something to help. I put them in touch, and they decided to travel to the Polish border together on this adventure. I kept in contact all the time. Meanwhile, my Camino walk was cancelled. That was my opportunity to go. I asked the lads to see if there were any volunteering opportunities out there. Their response was immediate: “plenty”. I booked to go. My sister, Olivia, came too.
We arrived in Poland and headed for Przemysl, a town 15 minutes from the Ukraine border. Przemysl was where the refugees were bused to from the Ukraine-Polish Medeka border. Joby, a Dublin set designer, had already set up the Irish information booth in a disused, converted shopping centre. All the other countries of the EU (and UK) had set up their stalls too. Each country had its own booth manned to inform the incoming refugees about the various country options where they could find refuge. The refugees had just 48 hours to decide where to go. The Ukrainians would arrive in buses tired, weary and emotional. We always advised them to get food, take a bed, freshen up and get a good night’s sleep before coming to us. We’d give them information to read about Ireland in advance of queuing at our booth.
Each country had its own booth to inform incoming refugees about the country options where they could find refuge
Our job was to book them on flights to Ireland, if that was where they wanted to go. The funds to buy their flights came from Irish local communities’ fundraising efforts. If the refugee family had pets, we explained they had to go by land and sea to Ireland. We worked out their route: Przemysl-Krakow-Warsaw-Berlin-Paris-Cherbourg-Dublin. This was free of charge, as long as they held a Ukrainian passport. Unfortunately, paying for animals was outside the remit of our charitable budget. Although we were apologetic for the distance, the Ukrainians did not view the land and sea route as arduous given the size of their own country.
Tragic ‘back stories’
Our translators patiently translated question after question, answer after answer. Before long, they were so versed in the logistics of coming to Ireland, in what refugees could expect, they effectively became ambassadors for the country. For us at the desk, the important thing was to try and keep the same translator, for they eased our job considerably. Often, they would get the tragic “back story”, the mother sharing her odyssey with the translator, especially if the translator was female. However, translators shielded us from the worst aspects of their story. Sometimes you would see tears on both sides, but you did not ask. Sometimes, it was not possible to translate pain. Nor was it necessary. We just knew we had a job to get on with, to try and make this person’s future a better, more secure and safer place to dwell.
In the centre, you had truckloads of aid distributed in a warehouse-like space. The refugees and volunteers that entered the centre were registered and swiped in and out to prevent trafficking or robbing. The refugees were given whatever they needed: clothes, shoes, blankets, bags, baby gear, toiletries.
Mostly, the refugees comprised women and children. Occasionally you had elderly folk, some of whom had never left their own city before. It was easy to recognise them as they tended not to have suitcases (not needing them before) and so carried their worldly belongings in shopping bags filled to the brim. In fact, mostly they had only internal ID documents as they were never outside of Ukraine before. Now they also had to cope with a new language, culture, people and way of life. To ease their journey, we bought them pull-along suitcases to help them. They were so grateful.
Fear of homelessness
The younger refugees were interested in finding out if work was available in Ireland. Families inquired about what kind of accommodation they might find themselves in, fearful they would end up homeless. We reassured them that this was not going to be the case. Many were also worried, following misinformation circulating, that they would not be permitted to return to Ukraine, and that Ireland would instead be like an open prison.
It was an intensive week, with 12-hours-a-day volunteering, which was emotionally, physically and mentally draining. But incredibly rewarding. My sister and I returned to Cork airport on Easter Sunday. To our great surprise, a group of Ukrainian refugees we worked with during the week arrived just before us.
Many were worried they would not be permitted to return to Ukraine and that Ireland would be like an open prison
They greeted us warmly with hugs and cheers. In fact, they thought we were there for them. I explained this was where the Red Cross and Irish Government came into play, as they were already there ready to take them to a hotel to eat and freshen up, before bussing them elsewhere.
The Ukrainians had my WhatsApp number and promised to keep me updated in relation to where they went and how things were working out for them. Since then, I learned that one group ended up in Littleton in Co Tipperary, stating they were all blown away by the kindness and hospitality of the reception they received there.
Another Ukrainian mother ended up in Westport, Co Mayo, and, so far, reports being very happy with the reception she and her daughter received, stating how beautiful the place and people are. It is wonderful to hear this, as I worried about how things would work out, as part of my role in Poland was to also manage expectations. I will end in the words of a text I got from a Ukrainian in Littleton. He wrote, “We all without exception are in a state of charm from hospitality. What wonderful people live here. They’re all like that and they are everywhere you go. And what nature, what interesting plants and trees, what purity. There is no fuss, tranquillity, peace. The country is like a well-oiled clockwork. Everything is just great.”
Let’s hope this remains to be the case. Well done to the Irish refugee effort, in trying to make their broken world a better place. The kindness of strangers brings hope.
Rosarii Griffin is interim director of the Centre for Global Development at University College Cork