ODU – HUMANITARIAN · Right from the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the OpenDoorUkraine.NL foundation (ODU) has been directly involved in bringing Ukrainian refugees to safety. This was made possible by generous donations from private individuals and organizations.
The chairman of ODU’s advisory board, former Dutch Defense Minister Joris Voorhoeve, took immediate action to help Ukrainian refugees just days after the war started. He bought two old minibuses, enlisted the help of his son and eight student volunteers and made the first 1,500 km journey to the Polish-Ukrainian border. From there, desperate refugees were returned to the Netherlands. The help does not stop there, of course: ODU also helps refugees to settle here, by offering them housing and helping them with registration, vaccinations, etc.
The first – and spontaneous – drive to the Polish border took place on February 25. This was very well received, which generated enthusiasm among the drivers. Soon the journey was repeated: as of today we have completed a total of 16 journeys and brought 110 refugees to safe havens in Germany and the Netherlands. When we drive to Poland, our minibuses transport relief supplies for Ukrainians, such as medicine, clothing and food. During a typical trip, two buses are driven by a total of four drivers. There is also at least one interpreter on every bus.
In addition to our regular trips, we have also entered into collaborations with others. One of these joint efforts was the collaboration with Alexandra van den Bosch from The Hague, to which the organization Heart for Children also made a generous contribution. Thanks to their help, we were able to transport a group of 65 people from Lutsk near Lviv, including 23 disabled children. The others were nurses, siblings and mothers. Some children were cared for by the St. Josephs orphanage in Düren, Germany, while others were cared for by institutions in Utrecht and Alphen aan den Rijn.
Our actions also inspired many people to contact us with specific requests, such as a brave Canadian nurse who wanted to travel to Kiev to help the injured there. We took her to the Polish border with Ukraine. Another request concerned the pick-up of a Ukrainian psychiatrist who sought refuge with her family and, thanks to our efforts, has now arrived safely in the Netherlands. Other requests include taking in families who have found only temporary shelter in Poland, or finding housing for refugees who have come here on their own. The advantage of owning two buses and working with highly motivated volunteers is that it gives us great flexibility, allowing us to respond to urgent calls with great speed.
Despite the tragedies of war and displacement, it is heartening to see so many people from such diverse backgrounds working together in sympathy and solidarity with refugees in need. Some volunteers are students that Joris knows from his time as a professor at Leiden University; some are ODU board members, such as Maks Igelnyk who traveled as a translator; among others, former members of the Dutch parliament, such as Rogier van Boxtel and Arthie Schimmel, are also on the trip. They rented an additional minibus to transport three families to safety and also donated to fund our efforts.
Words cannot describe the gratitude we feel for the many donations we have received so far. But the war is far from over, and as it intensifies, so will the refugee crisis. That is why we urgently appeal for further donations so that we can continue our efforts. So far we have covered most of the costs (currently €50,000) in advance. Naturally, donors receive a detailed overview of all our expenses.
Every contribution you make can make a difference. Donate directly to ODU at NL63 ABNA 0844 1912 99, stating “Emergency Aid Ukraine.”
(by Jeroen van Dijk)