Carolin Daubner
On February 21 of 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, unleashing a long-simmering crisis with devastating consequences. Over 7.5 million citizens have fled across Ukrainian borders to neighboring countries making it the second-largest refugee crisis in the world. Still, there is no end in sight. Instead, day after day we receive reports about the desolation in Ukraine. These citizens can be helped, even here in Japan. Three high school students have joined together to create a fundraiser at our school that will go directly to help Ukrainian children.
The students decided to raise money for the organization “Save the Children International” which specializes in ways to aid children in humanitarian causes such as the floods in Pakistan. Although based in the UK, the organization operates in about 120 countries.
However, the fundraising that was initiated at Saint Maur by the students focuses on the children who have to flee during the Ukraine crisis. They are the ones who need immediate attention, considering that 5.5 million of them are forced to leave their country and belongings behind. The process of fleeing alone is incredibly perilous for the children as they can be wounded and deeply traumatized by the violence they face. Moreover, they are more vulnerable to being separated from their families and have a high risk of being trafficked and exploited. Many times, the children who arrive in the refugee countries do not speak the language and find it difficult to integrate into the country. To make the children feel more welcome in the countries, the organization has made it its objective to provide them with a proper education. Most of the donations go to Poland, the country that has accepted over 20% of the refugees from Ukraine and adapted to them within a short period of time.
One of the initiators of the fundraising, Jacek, is from Poland himself and explains that he personally witnessed the extent of the refugee crisis from friends and relatives in Poland, some of whom have agreed to offer some refugees a roof under their house. Although the Polish government is doing its best to accommodate the refugees in haste, the costs are inconceivably high and they are in dire need of assistance.
During the summer vacation, he was able to visit Poland and saw a lot of the refugees on a daily basis. In Warsaw, he managed to visit a school that had been set up for Ukrainian children in just three weeks. The school teaches the Ukrainian curriculum, which of course differs in language, but also from the content taught in Poland’s schools. This school, he clarified, is mainly financed by the organization, which also supports many other schools in the country. Due to his experience, his motivation to start this fundraiser was heightened. He and his partners, Erin and Emma, in the fundraiser are committed to raising awareness on the issue, but also to have a tangible impact on the urgent need for help. They are calling on everyone to support the right that every child in the world has, an education and a protected upbringing by donating to their fundraiser. Please help restore at least some of the children’s daily routines by allowing them to continue their schooling, additionally giving them hope that there is a future for them, as you would wish for all children!
Emma, Erin, and Jacek would greatly appreciate any help, no matter how small. If there are any questions, they will gladly answer them. They can be found outside the cafeteria during the first half of lunch. The fundraiser will run until October 15, though they welcome donations directly to the organization later on as well.
Sources
Operational Data Portal. Last updated 30 September 2022. https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine.
Carolin Daubner