Human Solidarity Without Borders

Driven by a sense of responsibility as fellow human beings, Polish residents, including Indonesian citizens, are helping Ukrainian refugees in the country. They open the doors of their houses for refugees to live in.

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

A woman and her daughter who fled Ukraine read inside the Sakinah Foundation mosque, in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday (7/6/2022). Sakinah Foundation voluntarily accommodates refugees from Ukraine as a result of the Russian attack.

WARSAWA, KOMPAS — The Ukrainian war, once again, has inspired humanitarian solidarity without borders. Poles, including resident Indonesians, open their homes to accommodate refugees from Ukraine.

Aid to Ukrainian refugees in Poland continues to flow. A segment of the Polish population helps spontaneously. "This is a human responsibility. We accept anyone regardless of race, religion, national origin. No one can choose where to be born. I can't justify selectivity,” said the founder and president of the Fundacja Sakinah Foundation, Usman Iftikhar, in Warsaw on Tuesday (7/6/2022).

Founded in 2014, the foundation is one of the most active organizations in helping Ukrainian refugees. “During the war, we’ve assisted at least 300 refugees directly. Others we help indirectly," Usman said.

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Direct assistance is given in the form of housing, applications for residence permits and food. Indirect assistance comes in the form of information about where refugees can live or how to continue their journey. "Not everyone chooses to live here for various reasons," said the man who works at the bank.

Ayrton Wibowo also offers his home to help Ukrainian refugees. This Indonesian citizen who lives in Lodz, Poland, has accommodated a total of nearly 20 families since the war broke out. "Some of them are still here, some have gone to other places or countries," he said.

The owner of Podkawa, a company that imports and processes coffee from Indonesia to be marketed in Poland, said that they were only one small part of the Polish population who spontaneously helped. “Since the war broke out, there has been a lot of spontaneity in helping refugees. We are moved because we are fellow humans,” he said.

We help get social security numbers, residency numbers. So refugees can work, study and live legally in Poland.

He and his wife, Kinga, are especially moved because most of the 3.6 million Ukrainian refugees in Poland are women and children.

“As a father, I can't stand watching children in trouble. As a parent, I understand the severity of the conditions experienced by refugees,” he said.

Like many other Polish residents, he is active in the refugee camps and information centers in Lodz. He looks for refugees who are willing to live in his family's house on the outskirts of Lodz.

Together with their relatives and acquaintances, they help refugees find information to continue their journey in another place or country. Meanwhile, for those who choose to stay in Poland, they help take care of their permits. “We help get social security numbers, residency numbers. So refugees can work, study and live legally in Poland,” he said.

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

Decorative umbrellas in the colors of the Ukrainian flag are seen at various angles in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday (7/6/2022). Ukrainian flags or symbols that are installed in various places signify the support of some Polish people for Ukrainian citizens.

Subsidy

Usman and Ayrton know that the Polish government provides subsidies to people who want to accommodate refugees. "I'm not going after that. I do not take a dime from the activities at the foundation. My salary is enough from working in a bank,” said Usman.

One of the reasons for Usman not to apply for a subsidy is the fact that the process is lengthy. There must be verification from the government to ensure that the recipient of the subsidy really accommodates the refugees. The process is not completed in a day or two. Some of the refugees stayed at Usman's house only for a few days. "Some are just looking for a temporary place to stay before continuing their journey," he said.

Sakinah Foundation does not only accommodate Ukrainians. Citizens of a number of countries who are in Ukraine and were forced to flee because of the war are also accommodated by the foundation.

“I can't just stand by when people need help. You know, there are millions of people trying to get out of Ukraine and getting out of there was not always easy," he said.

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Ayrton said that assistance to refugees is provided from donations from various parties and personal funds. Ayrton even gives some of his processed coffee to a number of donors.

Donations are not just money. Various goods and skills are also needed to help refugees. “When they arrived, some of them only had a few clothes. Here we collect clothes and other items,” he said.

The skills needed include helping refugees to recover from war trauma. “We refer to several psychologists here. Some are provided free of charge. Some others are from the government's healthcare," Ayrton said.

Supporting

Poland does fully support Ukraine. Warsaw even made a law as a legal basis for helping refugees. Each refugee gets an initial allowance of 300 zloty (approximately Rp 1 million). Meanwhile, the accommodating family gets at least 18 zloty (Rp 60,000) per day per refugee for a maximum period of 60 days. "I'm not looking for that. I even want to offer them a job at my place. If they want, they can work here," Ayrton said.

The coffee trading and processing businesses managed by Ayrton and Kinga still need employees. By the way, Podkawa's customers are growing.

For Usman and Ayrton, it is inappropriate to think about rewards when helping people in distress. “Perhaps I will be rewarded in some other way. Maybe it is ease in various affairs, health or being able to sleep well," said Usman.

I'm not looking for that. I even want to offer them a job at my place. If they want, they can work here.

The foundation was founded in memory of his grandmother. The name of the foundation is taken from the name of his grandmother. “My grandmother died when I was six years old. I remember my grandmother as a loving person. I want to dedicate activities at this foundation to caring for the legacy of my grandmother. Also, perhaps, to hope that my grandmother will be prayed for,” he said.

Ayrton, Usman and millions of Poles prove that humanitarian solidarity always exists when needed. Accommodating refugees is only one form of solidarity.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.