Our open arms — and alms
“Ukrainian children grew up overnight. “Even those who can’t yet speak feel the war in their bones,” says Kyiv mother of 10-year-old twins Aryna Satovska.
It’s hard to comprehend the scale of the terror raining down on Ukraine. Cities are being levelled as the fortunate ones hunker down in basements, constantly rocked by the bombardments. Those caught above ground are maimed and killed.
Humanitarian corridors to allow women and children out of the war zone have been sporadic and survivors describe the journey as hellish, only to be washed over with guilt for making it out.
This week, the Herald joined with World Vision to help the millions of Ukrainian women and children who have managed to escape with little to support themselves. New Zealanders responded with donations exceeding $1.3m by lunchtime yesterday. This is similar to the amount raised in The Forgotten Millions campaign by the Herald for Syrian refugees across two separate appeals in 2015. Still, we know it’s a mere coin in the bucket considering what is needed in the world’s fastest-growing humanitarian emergency since WWII.
It is estimated by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that more than 10 million people have so far fled Ukraine — equivalent to emptying out New Zealand twice over.
Support agencies have been overwhelmed, in Poland particularly as almost half the fleeing families have gone there — more than two million people with only as much as they could carry in their arms.
Unicef says more than half of Ukrainian children have been displaced. The organisation’s chief, Catherine Russell, describes the statistic as, “a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come”.
To those who have contributed, we thank you. Few realised how bad things would be for Ukraine only a month ago. An estimated 5 per cent of those who have escaped got out before the invasion began.
Now in Poland with distant relatives, Satovska says, “At 4am, we were listening to Putin’s speech and woke the children up with the words ‘get up honey, it’s a war’.
“Airstrikes followed.”
Editor: Alanah Eriksen News tips: news@hos.co.nz