Support refugees Ukrain
Frits live from the Ukrainian border: “The refugees and Romanians need us now. The human traffickers are lurking.”
Human traffickers and pimps target Ukrainian refugees. That’s what several aid organisations, that are currently at the border of Romania and Ukraine, like IJM, Dorcas and The Salvation Army, report. Frits, our founder, is in Romania with Cristina who is the project manager of Next Steps Romania. There, they are able to see with their own eyes what is needed most. We made a hasty late night call. Frits: “It is incredible what’s happening here. I have so much respect for the Romanian people. Diapers, blankets, food, shelter, care: they pay everything out of their own pocket. Help is needed now! If we wait for the European Union, we’ll be waiting for a couple of weeks.”
According to Cristina, 95 percent of the Ukrainian refugees come through Romania. Cristina: “These refugees don’t speak Romanian, nor English. They have nothing. Often, they have lost their passport, they’ve lost everything. Everyone fled in a rush. Primarily women, children, elderly and disabled people. And therefore they are a prey to human traffickers and pimps. The local authorities, the police, our partner organisation: everyone stands at the ready. We’ve already gotten reports of disappearances and rapes. My team is ready at the border to care for the refugees. With blankets, shelter, love, food, aid. Everything to make sure they don’t fall into the wrong hands.”
Next Steps Romania is a cooperation between Bright Fame, IJM, Dorcas and the Salvation Army. The organisation works day and night to prevent human trafficking in Romania. Frits: “Cristina works 15 hours a day. This morning, she had 50 e-mails: all with burning questions. The phone is ringing constantly. They are in an office that is almost falling apart – Us Dutch people would never work there. Still, they keep on going. I see Romanians who take in entire Ukrainian families, even though they have nothing themselves. So much is happening, so so much. It is heart breaking what the Ukrainian refugees have to go through. However, the Romanian people can only keep this up for just a little while longer. They pay everything out of their own pocket. Help is needed now from the rich West. From the church. If we have to wait for the European Union, we’ll be waiting for a couple of weeks. The Romanian people can only keep this up for just a little while longer. We cannot let them stand alone!”
