One hundred days of war and horror in Ukraine, but also of solidarity
"Don't forget about us. We left Dnipro two and a half months ago, and we just want everything to be over so that we can return home and be reunited with our families", explains Alexia, who is hosted by Salesian missionaries in Krakow (Poland), where she lives with her two children. This desire is the same as that expressed by most refugee women and children. The city of origin and the date of arrival change, but not the lack of understanding of the war and the desire for peace.
On 24 February, shelling began in various Ukrainian cities, and the 200 Salesian houses in Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Ukraine itself set to work to coordinate emergency aid and care for the displaced population. The Salesian Missions launched the "Emergency Ukraine" campaign, and 400,000 euros have already been allocated to eleven humanitarian aid projects in Ukraine and Poland for the displaced population.
The purchase, transport and distribution of basic necessities in Ukraine; the equipping of accommodation with cooking utensils and beds for refugees in Salesian facilities; and the maintenance costs and purchase of food for the displaced population have been the aims of these projects, which continue to be carried out both in Ukraine and in Polish localities.
More than 15,000 displaced persons have passed through Salesian facilities since the conflict began, and more than 5,000 receive daily care in Salesian houses in Ukraine and bordering countries. "We continue to help the population from day one, because we cannot leave those in need alone", says Luis Manuel Moral, director of Salesian Missions.
More than 14.5 million people have fled their homes and more than 13 million are trapped in war zones.
"Not as many people are fleeing the war as a few weeks ago, and some are even returning to their cities. The conflict is now centred in the east, but we continue to welcome and care for those in need of shelter, food, health and psychological care, and also to accompany minors by offering them the possibility of attending school", says a Salesian missionary from Krakow.
Salesian solidarity worldwide has contributed more than five million euros to the emergency in Ukraine. However, the war is not likely to end soon, and for this reason a second phase of reconstruction of homes, hospitals and schools in Ukraine is also being considered.
One of the latest Salesian initiatives is Mariapolis, the city of Mary. It is a small town made up of many prefabricated modules in Lviv to temporarily house those displaced by the war. It is located in the popular Sykhiv district, near St. John Paul II Park. "Here we feed more than 350 people every day", say the missionaries.
The Salesian Missions Museum (Calle Lisboa, 4 in Madrid) has joined in the activities to not forget the conflict and the photographic exhibition "Life in a suitcase: stories of an armed conflict" is open. A collective exhibition of 56 images recounting the experiences of those who fled for their lives and those who stayed behind. The exhibition will be open until 31 October.
