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The story of the Polish woman-hero | Larysa
Larysa was at home when the war began. The first thing she felt was confusion and a lack of acceptance of what was happening. However, she remained calm. She moved to Poland on March 7th, after hearing about the occupation of Bucha. The perpetrators also planned to capture Kyiv, and since she lived in the Kyiv region, she decided to leave as soon as possible. She thought she would spend two weeks, at most a month, abroad. Upon arriving in Poland, she needed only peace, but she also quickly received help with financial and documentation issues. After six months of staying in Wrocław, she realized she wanted to help other Ukrainians. Mrs. Larysa believes that only those who truly understand, that is, those who have also experienced it to some extent, can properly help and support Ukrainians. So, she feels she is doing the right thing and thanks to this, she feels better. At the Centrum na Przedmieściu, she received the help and support she needed - but she also provides help herself by working as a psychologist. Larysa's biggest dream is the end of the war and, consequently, victory. She would very much like to return to Ukraine and continue working there. |
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The story of the Polish woman-hero | Julia
Julia left Ukraine immediately after the war started. The journey took her 3 days, and at the Polish border, she had to wait in the cold with her daughter for 9 hours. Upon arriving in Poland, she decided she wanted to help other Ukrainians at the Main Station in Wrocław, where she met a Polish woman who offered her a place to stay for a while. Her first job in Poland was cleaning in a catering establishment where she was paid very little, so she quit after 2 months and started looking for something new. Over the following years, she worked in the kitchen, but during this time, she got to know the Red Cross, which she supported by making packages for Ukrainians. Currently, she works as a volunteer for the Polish Red Cross (PCK). Her daughter is studying in a Polish school, in a class predominantly consisting of children from Ukraine, unfortunately, without support from the teachers. Julia says she left only her parents in Ukraine but for now, she doesn't want to go back there. Julia's plans include numerous trips and exploring the world. |
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The story of the Polish woman-hero | Nadia
Nadia has been living in Poland since March 7, 2022. She comes from the city of Dnipro, from where she left on March 4. She and her friend walked for three days from Lviv to the Polish border. Upon crossing the border, they were warmly welcomed, provided with food and drinks. When the war started, Nadia received a call from her cousin living in Poland, offering her a place to stay - where she lived for 2 months. The realization that she wouldn't be able to return home and had to start a new life came when one day she called her parents. They told her she should stay and settle in Poland. After receiving her PESEL number, she started getting to know the city and possible job opportunities. She received a job offer from the University, but she left without her promised salary. Currently, she works at the Polish Red Cross (PCK). The most challenging thing for her in Poland was learning the language, but she was supported in her studies by her loved ones. There wasn't a day she didn't think about going back home. She really wants to return to her city, meet her family, and take a walk in her favorite places. In the near future, she plans to continue working on projects for the PCK. Like everyone else, she dreams of the end of the war and victory, and for everything Ukraine has suffered not to be in vain. |
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The story of the Polish woman-hero | Valeria
Valeriia has a sister in Wrocław, so her family had somewhere to go when the war started. It took them about 24 hours to get there. Before, Valeriia lived in Kyiv, where she worked as a volunteer before leaving. She felt useful there, so she really didn't want to leave and give up her job. Upon arriving in Wrocław, she quickly adapted to the new life, and now, having lived here for two years, she feels like this city is a second home to her. She claims that one of the reasons is the good attitude from the Poles and their help. She found the greatest support at the Centrum na Przedmieściu, where she had the opportunity to distract herself from disturbing thoughts by attending various activities. Valeriia is studying online in her final year at the University of Kyiv and works as an interior designer and 3D visualizer. Her friends and acquaintances from Ukraine, with whom she keeps in touch, despite the situation in which they have to live, are already used to it and try to look at everything positively. Valeriia dreams of traveling around the world, but above all, her biggest dream is the end of the war. She also says that she thought about returning home after the war ended, but now she is not sure about that. |
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The story of the Polish woman-hero | Tetiana
Tetiana comes from Khmelnytskyi. She left shortly after the war started on February 24, and by the 25th, she had already left the country. At first, she thought it wasn't necessary because it would be over in three weeks, but despite that, she decided to leave the country. Tetiana's father drove her, her two sons, and her mother-in-law to the border. There they saw too long of a queue, so they had to walk 20 km on foot. For the first week, she stayed with her cousin in Lublin. Then her husband came from Germany, and together with the children, they went to Wrocław. On the first day, they couldn't find an apartment, so they were given accommodation where they could stay for only a few days. The next morning, they managed to contact a Polish family from the countryside who offered them accommodation. These people helped them a lot with everything they needed. Before her husband found a job and an apartment in the city, they spent two months with them. At first, Tetiana was constantly stressed about the lack of work, but then she found out on Facebook that the Centrum na Przedmieściu was looking for volunteers. After a month of daily going to the Centrum na Przedmieściu and helping those in need, she received payment for the work she had done. Her older son completed Ukrainian school and went to university. The younger son went to a Polish school and feels very comfortable. Neither of them would want to go back to life in Ukraine. Tatiana dreams of peace in her life and in her country. |