Paper details
| Paper authors | Myroslava Keryk |
| In panel on | Local humanitarian responses to Ukrainian refugees - the case of Eastern Europe |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
Ukrainian House Foundation (UHF) - is a Ukrainian community organization established in 2009 to support Ukrainian migrants integrate with Polish society and enable cultural exchange. UHF forms a safe and inclusive space for building bridges between Poles and Ukrainians, and disabusing negative stereotypes. After the escalation of the Russian war against Ukraine on 24.02.2022, UHF transformed into a crisis response center providing a diverse range of support to refugees: access to reliable information through our hotline, portal naszwybir.pl and consultation point, a solidarity housing service and a vast database of volunteers. We opened a Ukrainian school in Warsaw – SzkoUA – for 270 Ukrainian refugee children. In cooperation with other NGOs, UHF provides also support to Ukraine: purchasing ambulances, medicines, first aid kits and a surgery facility in Lviv hospital. UHF also provides a cultural program: incorporating Ukrainian Women’s Clubs, Polish language courses, a library, workshops, English speaking clubs, etc.
On the example of UHF, I present the response of the Ukrainian diaspora to supporting refugees and Ukraine after the full scale Russian invasion and how this correlates with the response of Polish society and of the international community. What challenges has the organization faced and what new needs emerge after 1.5 years of the war?
