Photo essay: a war etched in pain, bewilderment and hope

THE MEDYKA BORDER CROSSING IN POLAND LACKS KEY FACILITIES INCLUDING RAIN SHELTER, WITH LIMITED VETTING OF VOLUNTEERS TO HELP PROTECT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A SPORTS STADIUM HAS BEEN CONVERTED INTO TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION IN THE SUCEAVA REGION OF ROMANIA. DAYS BEFORE THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN, A WOMAN HAD A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO A PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTION FOR TREATMENT (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

“SLAVA UKRAINI” — GLORY TO UKRAINE. SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ARTEM WAVES A UKRAINIAN FLAG SHORTLY BEFORE HIS BUS DEPARTS FROM SIRET, ROMANIA, TO SPAIN. UKRAINIANS SHARE A SENSE OF NATIONAL PRIDE, WITH MANY CHOOSING TO STAY NEAR THE UKRAINIAN BORDER SO THAT THEY CAN RETURN HOME AS SOON AS IT’S SAFE TO DO SO (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A CRISIS SHELTER IN UKRAINE HOUSES ORPHANS, FAMILIES FLEEING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. THERE ARE AROUND 20 ORPHANS, MANY OF WHOM LACK THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

WITH A BROKEN SUITCASE, MATTHEW AND RYAN PREPARE TO CROSS INTO UKRAINE TO FIGHT WITH UKRAINE’S FOREIGN LEGIONS ARMY (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

IN THE SAFETY OF A BLUE TENT AT THE SIRET BORDER CROSSING IN ROMANIA, A YOUNG BOY PLAYS A HARMONICA GIVEN TO HIM BY A CRISIS PSYCHOLOGIST. PSYCHOLOGISTS SEE UP TO 100 PATIENTS A WEEK AS REFUGEES ARRIVE AT THE BORDER IN DISTRESS (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A BUS FINALLY DEPARTS FOR THE EU FROM A REFUGEE TRANSIT HUB IN PALANCA, MOLDOVA. MANY OF THE REFUGEES HAVE FLED INTENSIFYING CONFLICT IN THE EAST OF UKRAINE AND HAVE SPENT WEEKS LIVING IN BOMB SHELTERS. THEY WERE OVERWHELMED BY THE SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED FROM HUMANITARIAN WORKERS, AND WAVE TO THEM AS THEY DEPART (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A CONVERTED TESCO SUPERMARKET IN POLAND IS ONE OF JUST TWO CENTRES VETTING VOLUNTEERS AND CHECKING THEIR CRIMINAL HISTORY. VOLUNTEERS SAY AT LEAST TWO MEN CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING CHILDREN POSED AS VOLUNTEERS AND ATTEMPTED TO ENTER THE CENTRE (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

TATIANA AND VIRIDIANA HAVE FLED THE BOMBARDED CITY OF MYKOLAIV. THEY’VE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THEIR TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION IN CHISINAU IN MOLDOVA HOMELY, BAKING CAKES AND READING BOOKS, BUT HOPE TO RETURN HOME SOON (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A MAN PLAYS THE PIANO AS DUSK FALLS AT THE MEDYKA BORDER CROSSING IN POLAND. THE TENTS BEHIND HIM ARE WHERE UNOFFICIAL VOLUNTEERS SLEEP (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)

A UKRAINIAN WOMAN PATS A DOG AT A CHILDREN’S HOME CONVERTED INTO A REFUGEE CENTRE IN MOLDOVA. MANY REFUGEES CHOOSE TO STAY CLOSE TO THE BORDER INSTEAD OF TRAVELLING INTO THE EU SO THEY CAN RETURN HOME THE SECOND IT’S SAFE TO DO SO (IMAGE: AMBER SCHULTZ)