As war grinds on and with nowhere else to go, Ukrainian refugees in Poland find themselves stuck in limbo

PREVENTING A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER

Now, dozens of non-governmental organisations in Poland have stepped up to offer support, hoping to prevent the refugee crisis from turning into a humanitarian disaster.
 
Polish foundation Wolno Nam, for instance, provides Ukrainians with a roof over their heads, food, and other essential items. 
 
It also runs a hostel which houses about 200 Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, at any one time.
 
“There were like hundreds (of refugees) because at the beginning, this building, we focused more on it (as a temporary shelter or transit home),” said Ms Agata Pleciak, who volunteers with the foundation. 
 
“So they stayed for two, three nights, and they went on their way to the West. Now, most of the inhabitants are here for months.”
 
However, the massive influx of Ukrainians into Poland has not gone down well with everyone.
 
Last November, during Poland’s national holiday, nationalists carried banners and shouted anti-Ukrainian slogans.
 
But for now, they are still only a vocal minority.
 
A recent poll by the Polish Pollster Research Institute found that more than two-third of Poles think the Polish government is doing a good job in helping Ukraine in its war with Russia.
 
Last year, Poland had spent about US$2.76 billion on support for refugees from Ukraine.
 
But its deputy interior minister recently said part of this money has returned to the state budget in the form of taxes, as Ukrainians settle down, find jobs and rebuild their lives in Poland.