VARNA, Bulgaria
“We organize all of the stuff. We try to help them as good as we can,” Uliana Klimchak a volunteer with the refugee relief effort in Varna, Bulgaria said in an interview with MJ Independent.
“I have never done anything like this before,” Klimchak admits from Fellowship of Ukrainian in Bulgaria - Ukrainians Diaspora in Varna and Varna Region (Ukraine House) sorting centre in Varna, Bulgaria.
The usually quiet Bulgarian - Ukraine House locates in a store front has turned into a makeshift relief centre for Ukrainians fleeing the violence the war has brought to Ukraine.
“But I just felt I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit around,” the 18 year old from Kyiv, Ukraine said.
It is a sentiment shared by the dozens of volunteers who have stepped forward to do what they can to help others.
She is just one of the dozens of people who have stepped forward in this city on the Black Sea to help assist the over 5,000 refugees who have come to the tourist town fleeing the war back home in Ukraine.
Although she is not the main organizer for the relief effort she has found herself, more often than not, as the group’s spokesperson because of her language skills. Her most recent interview to be published in Cosmopolitan Magazine.
It’s a role she doesn’t like saying “I would sooner be at home just living my everyday life.”
is a lucky one with her father sensing something bad was coming and sending her and her two brother (one older and one younger) to stay at an apartment the family owns in Varna. Her mother is now in Varna while her father is safe for now in western Ukraine.
“He is doing what he can to help from there,” she says as her voice drops.
With the Russian - Ukraine War now just over two weeks long the need and the corresponding response to assist refugees has grown.
First the group worked out of a Bulgarian/Ukrainian Cultural Centre but the need grew so exponentially that there are now two locations - a donation drop off and sorting centre and a registration/distribution centre.
The Bulgarian - Ukrainian House has turned into a sorting centre for the steady stream of donations with the local sports arena, the Varna Palace of Culture and Sports turning into a refugee registration and aid distribution centre.
“It’s one organization but it has expanded so much we can’t stay here (with everything) here anymore. So we had to find a new building.”
Klimchak calls the local and regional response of donations needed to assist Ukrainian refugees as incredulous.
“No (it has not been hard to get donations). We just posted on groups on Facebook like Ukrainians in Bulgaria and some volunteer organizations. I don’t know exactly how it was actually initiated but we just posted on Facebook we need help, we need some supplies, a list of supplies and people were coming here all of the time (with things),” she said
Although she admits the massive outpouring the group experienced at the outset of the crisis has waned a little giving many have helped all they can at the present time.
The group had humble beginnings and has grown as the need has grown.
Donations have poured in from various sources from local food factories right down to ordinary Bulgarians making personal sacrifices to help others.
“People who wanted to bring something they mostly did (in the first week of the war). But then again people keep coming and bringing something,” Klimchak said, adding “some organizations have money and want to bring some things so they ask us what we need. What the refugees need.”
She said that the outpouring of support is from many types of groups and organizations. And crosses all ethnic lines.
“It comes from completely different (groups). There are a lot of Russians here in the group. Everyone is helping.”
“Some companies, some factories they produce some cans of food and they are willing to donate some of them. And they are bringing them here as well. Everything you see here and the next centre it is bought by people who want to help somehow. Or it is genuine (care). I don’t know how to say it but people are giving up some of their own things for refugees.”
She said there were more than a few people in the Varna region who were cutting back on their own personal lives to allow them to give something to help the refugees.
“It’s everybody helping. (Rich and poor) Some people just bring a bunch of children’s shoes because they probably have extra shoes ad they want to help in any way they can.”
There is also support from the local Bulgarian authorities.
She said even those who cannot afford to contribute financially are still helping out.
“We have Ukrainians they are here as refugees and they have no money but they are providing their help by volunteering.”
It is something that she herself has done.
At the same time she stresses she is just one person in a large group of various individuals and groups working together to do their best with their main goal of assisting the refugees.
Despite being three countries away from Ukraine the city of Varna has been heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine. The hotels in this tourism driven Black Sea retreat sees itself with a large contingent of those who have fled the conflict,
All of the hotels in Varna are at capacity and if a room does become available it is almost instantly occupied, Apartments are quickly filling up and the group admits there are those out there who are taking advantage of the refugees’ plights.
It is something the group tries to combat the best that they can.
There are stories of scammers trying to bilk foreigners and others out of donations which has the potential to harm Ukraine House and their efforts to raise donations - both at home and abroad - to really help the refugees when they need the help the most.
Although they do not want to besmirch and hinder the operations of other groups who want to help out but they ask donations to the Varna region be directed to them.
Through observation and questioning MJ Independent was able to determine funds donated to Ukraine House are going directly to the refugees they are intended for.
When asked about the Canadian government pledges to financially assist Ukraine’s refugees while at the same time now holding committee meetings to discuss the situation Klimchak said she did not know or understand the situation but if it was true then they need to hurry quickly to take action.
“This is the most devastating thing because most of the people in the world they are just talking and this is nice that somebody is talking but it doesn’t help in any way.”
At the present time Ukraine House is set to launch their own foundation to receive funds to accept donations from individuals, business and governments.
The foundation will be set up in a transparent manner so any funders can see how much money was donated and at the same time exactly where and on what it was spent. Donators can ask to see where the money has actually gone.
The foundation is also being set up to accept both small and large donations as all are necessary to assist the daily growing number of refugees who are fleeing to not only Varna but the entire region.
“The Canadian government can help us bother financially and informationally. Informationally by spreading information about organizations like us and pretty much about the crisis in Ukraine and the war.”
“I think it is always time for actions and never for talking.”
At the same time she realizes when the war started nobody had believed it was going to happen but the time to act to help the refugees is now and not later.
“We didn’t believe anything was going to happen. We are all so convinced that nothing is going to happen. I came here having it in mind that this trip was going to be some kind of vacation. You know seaside, Varna, I didn’t know we were going to be stuck here for a long time.”
Although the end and outcome of the war is still unknown Klimchak said she and her friends - who have left Ukraine as refugees - are all intending to go back once all of the troubles are gone but as time goes by that could change.
“Being a refugee it is easier to cling to a new place and start a new life there.”
In the meantime, she and like so many others though are driven to do one thing and that is to help out all of those who have fled, are fleeing or are about to flee Ukraine and the war.
“We have placed at least 5,000 people. And we are preparing for more. People are coming on buses they are coming to the centre, we place them in the hotels. We try to find a flat for them. We try to provide every item of help we can. Like food and supplies, hygiene products and other stuff, blankets.”
When it comes to buses the Centre says they are met so refugees get help right away.
Asked about what was observed in the story Tears and Goodbyes and how refugees were not met by
“I didn’t know about that we are working with refugees in the Centre but I didn’t know about that.”
The buses are suppose to be met by the police - but the bus MJ Independent took with refugees to Varna was not a free bus for fleeing refugees but actually operated by a small tour operator on a regular basis.
“We know people are coming on buses so were are expecting them at the centre but there are people in charge of this so I don’t know how it happened.”
Regarding the inability of refugees to access the toilet at the Bulgarian border because their Ukrainian money was not accepted she was not happy.
“It’s insane I don’t even know how people can charge money for the toilet at all. It is OK when it is normal times but not now.”
Although they are a small but dedicated group of volunteers she promised they would do what they could to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Despite the hiccups of the unexpected the work continues and could go on for months as the war in Ukraine accelerates forcing innocent civilians to flee for their lives leaving, in most cases, much of what they own.
“We want to organize it in a way that everyone can get help but it is not easy. And everyone can feel safe for at least some term.”
It is a hard task but one she and many others are doing their utmost best to overcome. It is not just herself personally but the dozens of volunteers plus many in Varna and the surrounding region.
“Everyone is really working hard here. It is like me and my mom are extremely active and so are so many in the Varna community. We come here and we try to help in every way we can.”
At the present time the number of people reaching Varna as refugees is growing on a daily basis.
Already there has been one birth amongst the Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Varna.
“It’s just insane how women are forced to leave their country..”
Despite all of the ups and downs of trying to help and the massive outpouring of support from the Varna region she support from elsewhere is greatly appreciated.
“We are extremely grateful to all who will help.”
At the present time more than 2 million people - mostly women, children and the elderly - have fled Ukraine.
The UN High Commissioner has called it the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.
Preliminary estimates are the number of refugees could top 7 million with 18 million Ukrainians affected by the war.
PLEASE NOTE - If you are a refugee and need assistance in the Varna region please contact:
- by text + 359 0893 667 663 OR
- email [email protected]
