Edina and Ana are twins with kind hearts and brilliant minds from Romania. They have been volunteers at YMCA Romania for more than ten years and contributed to youth development and empowerment through camps and various activities.

Both are interested in sports, often participating in different running or hiking tournaments, balanced by their artistic skills. After graduating from the University of Cluj, Romania, where they studied design and architecture, the sisters decided to get master’s degrees and pursue their goals and dreams in different countries. Edina decided to do her master’s in France, while Ana moved to Norway. After years spent far from their country, they came back to Romania, trying to build something their own.

As the war started in Ukraine, the sisters did not think much and immediately joined the group of volunteers from YMCA Romania and headed to the border, where they would be able to help people together. They have been volunteering at the blue dot for around two months, which was full of emotional encounters. Girls shared with us one of the most emotional cases from the border.

A beautiful lady showed up at the blue dot during one of the first days of Edina and Ana volunteering there. She was traveling with her two children from Ukraine. Her speech was incoherent and hard to understand, not because of the language barrier, but because of the trauma and fear that girls could easily read on her face. Based on her look, she must have spent some days in the shelter. Girls tried to comfort and help her as much as possible; however, it was hard to convince the lady to trust them.

She was trying to travel to Prague; however, she declined the train route that she was offered, as she was scared of traveling by train, thinking about all the things that could have happened to her or her children on the way.

Unfortunately, the lady decided to leave as soon as she was asked to hand in her passport for registration purposes, leaving questions in the minds of the girls.

“I have thought about the lady multiple times. I was wondering if she reached Prague or if she had a place to stay. Just how she was, in general” -Edina.

This is not a “happy” story of a friendship built at the border (and girls have many stories of that kind), but this case helped the twins realize how fragile a human can be and how much care and attention to detail is needed while working with people from different backgrounds.

However, as mentioned earlier, girls connected with many people and even built friendships, thanks to their kindness and welcoming smile. They talk about their new friends from Ukraine fondly as they were affected by their strength and positivity during these hard days.  One of the highlights was a Ukrainian dancer from Kyiv, a wonderful, open-minded young lady called Pavlova, who became good friends with Edina and stayed connected with her even after leaving Romania.

Right now, Ana and Edina are working at the Daycare center ROUA, conducting different activities with children, such as art therapy- Cartooning, hiking, camping, and so on. The twins are happy to be able to contribute to the Ukrainian-Romanian community created in their small hometown, which would not be the same without peaceful and kind people such as Ana and Edina.

Lesya Kalenychenko is an active member of YMCA Boyarka and one of the most outstanding participants of the Roots Be a Voice Not an Echo project held in September 2021.

During the project, Lesya demonstrated incredible critical thinking skills, creativity, open-mindedness, and a kind and friendly attitude towards every participant. Unfortunately, like millions of Ukrainians, Lesya was also touched by the war.

“It was the third week of the war, early in the morning, I was sitting in our room. The sun was shining. It was shining on the icon of Jesus Christ. That is my first ”war photo”. I am not too religious, but it was powerful.” said Lesya.

As the war started, Lesya moved to the countryside, to his loved one and his family, where she would be safer. Mindful of the consequences of the war on the food supplies, they started farming and gardening, creating their own Victory Gardens, following the approach implemented during WW1 and WW2.

However, gardening is not the only occupation for Lesya these days. As a person who is well aware of the power of the media, she is trying to spread information about the current situation in Ukraine. Similar to many other Ukrainian citizens, she is concerned that one day the world might get tired of Ukraine asking for help, tired of all the horror and danger, and forget about what is going on in her country. “My battlefield is information,” says the 25 years old young woman.

Even though Lesya mostly writes about the war, even during these dark days, her photography shows the beauty of the world, nature waking up, spring flowers and bright colors.

“For me, photos are the way I see our world, it’s who I am. When I see the shot, everything else disappears. And nature is a promise that life will return even to the dead, frozen ground. So, photography is a kind of coping mechanism. I am focusing on good things”.

Lesya is actively involved in YMCA activities. Apart from volunteering at YMCA Boyarka, she offers her help to the Heal the Smile project by YMCA Europe Roots for Peace.

She keeps hoping for a better future, wishing that she will meet every hero, no matter if they were soldiers or just volunteers, personally and thank them. Dreaming that she will rebuild the country alongside those people because “after all, everyone needs a place to return home.”

Alina Revenko has been in the YMCA for many years, as she says – almost forever. She is a part of YMCA Kremenchuk, a board member of the national YMCA movement in Ukraine and a youth trainer. For her, it was always important to be a part of the work for the community and especially young people who are struggling with mental health issues. Besides, Alina is also a participant in the Peace Work Institute of The Roots.

Alina was struggling with Covid-19 when the war started. “I was staying with my family, so they could take care of me. From the very beginning, I had a lot of feelings. It was hard to realize that all this is true and that it really happens to us. After some hours came thoughts: should we escape to the western part of Ukraine or stay at home. The decision was taken fast and clear. We decided to stay at home as long as possible. We stayed and started to help everywhere we could” Alina says.

Like everyone else, Alina had a hope that the war would end soon. But it didn’t. “It seems to me that 80% of civil Ukrainians became volunteers these days. Even people that came from hot points, a lot of them really help very much. And I also started a new project: “The Resilience Project”. Initiated together with Anna, our president, we created a set of yoga and mental health workshops. It aims to provide psychological support groups for children and young people, individual psychological consultations and assistance for mothers with young children, group meditations (online and offline) and yoga classes. We would like to engage refugees and people from different parts of Ukraine and show them the activities of our YMCA group” – shares Alina.

War is full of sadness and terrors, but still, there come some bright moments that help you not to lose your consciousness. For Alina that was her family, their cats, and her niece who draws lovely pictures of spring and flowers… “In our family, we had some kind of agreement. We decided that our home and relationships are the islands of peace, love, and harmony. Sometimes it can be very hard because emotions can be stronger than we could expect. But we try to hug each other and joke a lot”.

 

How can the definition of peace change for people who go through war? In the frames of the Peace Work Institute, there was an activity where people were speaking about the definition of peace for them. Alina’s words in that video were these: “Peace for me doesn’t mean an absence of some issues and challenges, but a place of dialogue and decision-making in harmony and a lovely way”.

And as Alina says, not very much changed, fortunately: “Peace for me is at my home: family, clear sky, and walking with friends during the sunset. Peace for me still doesn’t mean the absence of misunderstanding and disagreement between the people. All of us are different and we shouldn’t be the same. But each person, each community, and each country has to respect themselves and the others: rules, traditions, and borders. Each of us has freedom. But my freedom ends, where someone’s begins. Life, love, relationships and peace are the biggest values for me.”

“It all started so quickly, nobody expected that a war would occur right in the heart of Europe. And yet, here we are, silently watching the news feed reporting on the horrors of an ongoing war in Ukraine.

It was a very strange feeling. I was thinking about all those friends and colleagues of mine from the YMCA, all those lovely people I met throughout my journey with the Y. I was not sure what was happening to them. I could only pray that they are safe.

But deep inside I knew that my thoughts alone would not be enough. How can we be of help from this small town in Romania? There was not much time to waste, as the first waves of refugees were already crossing the borders. All the NGOs in the county united within a coalition to provide support and set up an emergency and first-line support point at the border. My hometown, Baia Mare, is only 40 km from the border with Ukraine.

YMCA Romania was at the forefront of it all. The first weekend we went to have an overview of the situation. Analyzing and checking the needs of the volunteer and the refugees were our priorities. Then, after checking the situation locally, we decided to provide food and supplies for the volunteers, ensuring they have a warm meal and can perform their duty in the harsh February wind. Help came from every corner, from charities, associations, local councils, and simple people who were kind enough to bring everything – from food to basic medical supplies for all those fleeing the war.

I was impressed by the quick response from everyone. But indeed shocked to see so many people fleeing. Families with children. Little ones carrying small backpacks filled with everything they could salvage. It is indeed horrifying knowing what these kids went through to reach the border to safety. You could see the tears in their eyes, but none of them were crying, the general feeling was that they had to escape, cross the border, reach safety, stay in Romania or continue the journey to the West of Europe.

A remarkable setting indeed. Older people barely walk. Taking a rest after having traveled for 5 days to reach the border. As the war went it was more and more difficult for them to reach the western borders. I remember one night, it was one of the first nights waiting in the cold, for our collages from the YMCA to arrive. There were traffic jams, lines of 20-30km of cars waiting to reach the border crossing point. Many families got separated, and many women with their children were crossing the border in hope that the little ones will be as far as possible from the conflict.

Indeed these were chilling moments, especially when we could hear the sirens going off on the other side of the border. Our team worked endlessly in the process of registering all those in need of accommodation and transportation- ensuring the setup of the Blue Dot Facility. Some of us even went further, we contacted YMCA Karpati, the closest YMCA in the region of Ivano-Frankivsk to establish a communication avenue and link up with the refugee center to provide first-line support. We were living historical moments, two YMCAs from different countries linking up together to serve the communities, through war and hardship- our values and mission remain unaltered for 177 years.

In moments like this one, the YMCA provides not only relief but a network of people from all walks of life standing together in solidarity and support. Our acts of kindness and humanity are materialised in the help we provide – ‘Together, indeed, we care ‘- is not only a statement, but it is also a call for movement strengthening, for humanity, care, and most importantly – PEACE.”

Andy Tomsa, Romania

Peacework Institute Participant

ROUA Community Center is a safe space with integrated services and activities co-created by a Coalition made by Asociatia DEIS, YMCA Romania, City Makers, ASNV, Fundația de Voluntari Somaschi, YMCA Baia Mare, Rotaract Baia Mare, Rotaract T.E.A.M. Baia Mare, ASNV, together with Ukrainian refugees with the support of Action Aid, funded by Disaster Emergency Committee and co-funded by YMCA, FONSS, ARC, and Consiliul Tineretului din România.

Created as a response to the increased number of Ukrainian refugees in northern Romania, the center offers daycare for Ukrainian children, intended to help them cope with the trauma of being displaced from home, provides emotional support for mothers, and builds a community based on care and love.

As Alina Pop, Executive director of YMCA Romania and one of the initiators of the ROUA community center explains, the name ROUA is more than just combined country codes, but it has a significant meaning as the ROUA in Romanian means dew, the symbol of a fresh start and hope.

ROUA day care center offers a wide variety of programs to children and adults created not alone by the facilitators, but together with the community members. One of the most significant activities is cartooning with children, allowing young people to create characters, and conceive scenarios and storylines. The activity does not only help children to develop new skills but also helps them express their feelings through art and creativity.

“I like coming here because I have fun. We play games and learn new things. I gained many Ukrainian friends here but I want to have more Romanian friends too. I hope I will learn English better and speak with them more.” 15 years old member of the ROUA community center.

However, the center is more than just an entertainment place. As parents mentioned, at ROUA, they found emotional support that is “more valuable and needed than financial or help.”

“I heard about the center from a Ukrainian friend who arrived in Romania before me. I came here with my child, my sister, and her two children. Later our friend also arrived with her two underaged daughters. She could not bring her sons here as they are boys around 18, and they had to stay in Ukraine in case of emergency. When we gather here, we talk, meet people and get involved in activities. Here, people understand me and care about me. Together we are stronger.” said the 37 years old Ukrainian community member.

And through all these humble humane actions, small talks, sharing, and caring, ROUA Community Center is slowly becoming a big family and one more example and hope for a better, peaceful future.

While the terrifying sound of sirens from the other side of the border was freezing the blood in people’s veins, the air got filled with the beautiful voice of a young girl singing about love. Lina, a 24 years old artist from Kharkiv, had just crossed the bridge and was sitting in the middle of the registration tent with her Ukulele, singing song after song, putting smiles on the faces of the people around her.

“Singing is the only thing that helps me forget about what is happening around and stay hopeful for the future,” she said smiling, flipping her small notebook full of song lyrics.

Back at home, in Kharkiv, Lina worked as a makeup artist as art and creativity is the best form of self-expression for her. She stayed in the country until the 7th of May, going along with her life, hoping for better days. She entered Romania alone, only with a small bag and her guitar; however, it was noticeable that while waiting for her bus at the border, she was hugging and helping other people.

“She is such a kind girl. There was a lady who got terrified after hearing the sound of sirens from the other side of the border. She was comforting her and hugging her as if she was her family member” Says Bianca, Volunteer from YMCA Romania.

As Lina said, she believes that change starts with individuals, and to create a better tomorrow people should start acting today.

“It is too late to go and change the past, but it is not late to strive to help create a better future.” 

Lina’s journey from Ukraine lasted a few days, leading her to Germany and then to Turkey. Hopeful that she will go back home soon, she shares her hopes for the future:

“One day we will meet again.  

One day we will all be home.  

One day we will all breathe a sigh of relief.  

One day the sky will be clear.  

One day the nights will be quiet.  

One day we will all be free.  

One day we will be able to hug our loved ones.  

One day your soul will feel at peace.  

One day we will all be able to recover.  

One day we will be happy again.  

Everything will be fine.  

Everything will be Ukraine.”

And while the war goes on, individuals like Lina bring the hope that peace is possible, as peace starts from individuals striving for it, and acting for it with humble, humane actions.

Maria is an ethnic Romanian, born and raised in Ukraine, in a small bordering town between Romania and Ukraine called Apsha de Jos/ Nizhna Apsha. She was an art teacher at the local school, meanwhile contributing to her community as an ambassador of the organisation Colors of Peace/I Colori Per la Pace, living an active and peaceful life with her family before the war started.

‘‘The first four days after the Russian attack  I was very scared, I lost six kilograms and was mentally and spiritually broken. I could not understand why these terrible things were happening. I could not help my husband or anyone and I felt useless, just counting the days of the war.’’- said Maria. 

However, after the fifth day of the war, Maria stopped counting and started acting. By crossing the bridge connecting Ukraine to Romania, Maria went back to her roots, to Romania where she found a role for herself, providing translation for refugees at the registration tables as she could speak both Ukrainian and Romanian languages. Every day she arrives at the registration tents and helps as many people as she can handle. She is constantly moving around, finding new arrivals, and making them feel welcome and safe.

Despite the fact that the YMCA volunteers and Maria met each other at the border not a long time ago, one could say they work as a team. They care about one another and trust each other as team members should do. On our Question, how she felt around the YMCA volunteers Maria answered: “I feel cared for, I feel important, and I feel loved.’’

However, the support she was providing for her community was not fulfilling her as she wanted to do more for her country. She reached out to friends in Italy for help and, of course, they agreed. She would ask Ukrainians in her hometown to fill out special forms about their needs and based on the demand, Maria and her friends would try to get required resources from kind people. Donated goods would arrive at the public school where Maria used to work. The hallways and rooms were no longer filled with running children and laughter, but with various useful items for civilians donated and sent by individuals striving to help.

“The number of people wanting to help and the amount of aid was surprising. We received a lot of help and support from lots of people, basically from the whole of Europe.”

Maria continues her mission at the border with volunteers from YMCA and helping her community with everything she can.

“I can not cry. I will not cry. It means that we lost or surrendered. History will show the face of this war, and I know I am standing on the side of peace!”