Christina, ESC volunteer from Belarus

When I joined this project I never thought that I would have got the opportunity to help and face a refugee emergency.

Unfortunately these days you can see both sides of one medal – good attitude to you and bad words.

Since the first days of war, I felt fear and constant anxiety for one’s life, for one’s difficulties and problems. Helping others purifies and gives sobriety to the mind.

During my free time I helped with translations, information for my Ukrainian friends and people who were in Ukraine. I supported them as a “person who knows how to deal with stress”. In the first weeks, I bought food and other small things with a friend of mine. Time went by quickly and I soon began to understand the meaning of the words “solidarity” and “human” more brightly.

My experience at Szafa Dobra showed me a new side of myself and of this world.

Solidarity for me is when you meet people in Szafa Dobra (it can be any place – but I want to focus on this place). They aren’t only Polish or Erasmus students. Qualitative concentration of people. I met human beings who are living in the USA, Canada, UK, the Netherlands,, Norway… an endless list!

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Here you are human, it doesn’t matter which country you are from, your nationality. Everyone came to deal with one big “disaster” and through “smile” to make this world a little bit happier and peaceful.

I asked everyone the same question,  because I was amazed and curious – “Why are you here,  is it real? You live in another continent or country”. And I received different answers.

A Canadian man told me: – “When we saw and heard about this dramatical situation I said to my wife I would have taken 10 days off and I would have gone to Poland to help them”.

A person from Norway answered: “I couldn’t sit in one place at home,  so I booked the tickets and I came here ” (he’s from Norway’s association of volunteers “Drop in the ocean”).

A group of English ladies said:”We just want to help, we have free time and we are here”.

Workers from companies and Ukrainian emigrants: “We asked our boss to give us one day to help as much as we can and we are here”.

Ukrainian people and refugees decided to join: “My country is crumbling. and all I can do is help my people, even if right now, I’m here while the war is going on. I feel the pain of loss. Volunteering here – I set an example for others and they also want to help.”

I also met our people from Slavic countries. It was so valuable. Here you are human, it doesn’t matter which country you are from, your nationality. Everyone came to deal with one big “disaster” and through “smile” to make this world a little bit happier and peaceful.

I appreciate that I met so many brilliant people with unforgettable stories. It taught me to be a human being with other people and help as much as I can with what I have now. You don’t have to be rich, have money. It matters to be a rich person as a Human. I had time and the desire to help, my language and package of clothes. And a big heart.

In this time we also can face the bad side of such a painful and stressing situation. I learned not to be offended by people who are screaming at you because you are speaking Russian  or you don’t have “man shoes of exactly 43 size”.

We are all people and let’s stay human, with calm and peace in your hearts.