You have probably noticed that we do not publish images of our guests when describing our activities related to assistance for people fleeing war in Ukraine. Why did we decide on such a way?
When offering shelter to people fleeing war, danger and violence, we think first of their safety and comfort.
People fleeing war experience violence and danger, which they will not always tell us about. In a country that is still at war, their family members are often left behind in a state of emergency, and some of them are fighting on the frontline. We cannot predict how the situation will develop or what consequences these people or their relatives will face if they return home.
Read more: Why we do not publish images of refugees and women from Ukraine
It has been less than a week since the first families from Ukraine arrived to Krzyżowa. We have spent the past days adapting the centre to the needs of mothers and children and organizing the most necessary things. Thanks to our team's commitment and the support of individuals and organisations, we have equipped two playrooms for children as well as a kitchen and a dining room for our guests to use.
Our goal in the last days was also to prepare an offer for our youngest guests, who constitute half of the nearly 100-person group of refugees in Krzyżowa. The Foundation's team organizes recreational and educational activities for different age groups (from 6 months to 16 years) until they can start their education in nearby schools or kindergartens.
Read more: Families from Ukraine in Krzyżowa – 11.03.2022
The number of people from Ukraine who have found shelter in Krzyżowa is still close to 100. Some of our guests have been with us from the very beginning, since we opened our centre for refugees, and others are with us for a shorter time - they rest and then continue their journey. However, they are quickly replaced by others in need.
Our guests are becoming more and more familiar with our place and have taken over some of the tasks of guiding the new refugees and presenting the opportunities they have while living in Krzyżowa.
Our team continues to provide families with the most necessary goods and organise activities for children and adults. During the day, we continue with workshops for the youngest and older children, as well as Polish language classes for adults. We have also just launched a carpentry workshop for children, which will be run by Tomasz Rosiński, a sculptor befriended with the Foundation. We also continue to help families with health care issues.
Read more: Krzyżowa for Ukraine. Another week of activities behind us - 18.03.2022
Since 6 March, the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe has been qualified by the Lower Silesian Governor and the Świdnica Municipality as an emergency accommodation for refugees from Ukraine.
Many families came to Krzyżowa last weekend. At the moment, we are accommodating nearly 100 people who declare their willingness to stay in our centre for a longer period of time. Most of them are children and youth. The youngest child who came to Krzyżowa with his parents was only 7 days old when he arrived.
Thanks to the support of the provincial government, we can cover part of the costs of the stay of families from Ukraine from a special budget. However, the needs are much greater. People who come to us often have very little with them. Families need everything - clothes, hygiene products, medicines.
Read more: Refugees from Ukraine in Krzyżowa – 7.03.2022
