These thirteen young adults left everything for ten days to go to the Ukrainian-Polish border, in Medyka, to assist hundreds of volunteers helping Ukrainians leave the country.
The Medyka Project was founded by Joan Folch, an influencer known for using his social media accounts to start social action projects.
In three vans, the thirteen young adults brought more than 6 tons of blankets, food and hygienic products to the border.
To make the 33 hour journey, seven drivers took turns driving the vans from Pamplona to Medyka.
Rodrigo and Javier are two 18-year-old students from the University of Navarra who participated in the Medyka Project.
After returning from the Ukrainian border, they had the opportunity to attend UNIV in Rome, an international conference focused on helping young people discover their role in solving the problems of the 21st century.
RODRIGO
Student, University of Navarra
Well, the situation at the border changed every day. It was a bit chaotic. There were different needs every day—today we need to buy blankets, and another day, we need to buy this or that.... Often we were separated into groups—people who stayed at the border and people who went into Ukraine.
In 6 days, the group organized everything they needed to go to the Ukrainian border. They had contacts in Medyka who explained what the people there needed and they enlisted the help of companies and institutions that wanted to help anonymously.
They also organized a team of more than one hundred volunteers who took turns going to supermarkets collecting basic necessities.
JAVIER
Student, University of Navarra
For example, at the beginning, we saw that there were already a lot of people helping and, initially, we didn't know where we could help. But then you realize that they did need us to help. And each day, it would change—they needed us, then they didn't need us. So I think that anyone who can go, anyone who has the time and the means should not hesitate to help.
Rodrigo describes how impressed he was one day when a 3-year-old boy, named Kiril, arrived at the border with his sister, aunt and mother at 4 o'clock in the morning. It was -13 degrees Fahrenheit and raining.
RODRIGO
Student University of Navarra
He was on the verge of hypothermia. What you do for him is to give him a blanket and just be with him. You give him everything you can because, in the end, they don't know English or Spanish, so you give him peace and affection. That really had a big impact on me because you have him in your arms and you realize how real all of this is.
After finishing their work in Ukraine, the group headed directly to the UNIV conference in Rome.
JAVIER
Student, University of Navarra
There hasn't been much time to think about it yet, but, I think that after it all, we see how valuable it all was. And that, in the end, they fled the country, which seems unlikely for us. You see that the people here are just like us and this is happening to them.
These students are already back in Spain. While they know they may have only made a small impact on the situation in Ukraine, by volunteering on the front lines they were able to meet some of the families directly affected by their work.
SO
TR: KG
