A UK aid worker who has travelled to the Ukraine border to help refugees fleeing the Russian invasion has spoken of the difficulties in getting supplies to those most in need.
The charity Hope and Aid Direct was set up in the 1990s in response to the Balkans conflict but nothing has prepared them for the outpouring of help, both needed and offered, it has received since the war broke out in the Ukraine.
Trustee Roger Wilson has travelled to Eastern Europe to help with the aid operation as more than a million refugees have fled Ukraine and travelled into neighbouring countries.
Our phones, inboxes, WhatsApp groups and all other forms of communications have gone totally mad
Mr Wilson said the charity was focusing its aid efforts on Romania, Slovakia, and Moldova.
“Our phones, inboxes, WhatsApp groups and all other forms of communications have gone totally mad,” he said.
“But the transportation of aid is complex, you can’t just load a van and go.”
He said that to send aid to help Ukrainian refugees the charity had to be sponsored by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the country receiving the aid.
They, in turn, need to have the correct warehousing and facilities to receive the aid and move it on to those that need it most.
Mr Wilson, from Sussex, said he travelled to the region to monitor the situation and understand where their support could best be utilised.
“In Poland, there is a sense of organised chaos,” he said.
“People are arriving, food, medical supplies and the right type of aid is available – and there are systems in place for the onward journeys to major cities in the country.
“Unfortunately, the story is not the same for other border countries, such as Romania, Slovakia and Moldova.”
In Slovakia, while the borders are very similar, people are arriving mostly on foot, he said.
It is busier than the Polish border with many smaller volunteer organisations on the ground and less coordination.
“It felt different and less hospitable,” Mr Wilson said.
“Amongst the many with a genuine desire to provide support, there are some offering ‘help’ in exchange for, I am not sure for what, but you certainly get the feeling that the bowl of soup is far from free.”
Mr Wilson said the Essex-based charity had good contacts with several NGOs across Slovakia, Romania and Moldova.
“I travelled to the region to meet up with some long term contacts we have in the region,” he said.
“I am confident that we now have reliable NGOs that we can work with in Romania immediately and Moldova and Slovakia for future trips. We are ready to go.”
The charity’s latest convoy left the UK on Wednesday carrying aid for Ukrainian refugees reaching the neighbouring borders.
