Support displaced Ukrainians in Poland

As the war in Ukraine continues, your generosity is supporting women like Olena and her family. 

This is her story: 

"In Ukraine, I didn't work because I was a pensioner. I’m very happy because the Pontes Association helped my daughter find a job as an English teacher at a high school. Apart from that, they helped my granddaughter with her studies and she enrolled in the Warsaw University.

The organisation also helped us to find an apartment. They helped us to settle down and furnish the flat with the essentials. I approach them with any questions or issues I have sometimes.

Now I'm gaining a better understanding of the Polish language. I met many nice women, which made me think I’m not alone with my own problems.

I want to thank people that financially supported the program, because that support is essential for me and my family. We feel cared for, we’re not alone, and it inspires us."

Our partner, Pontes Association, provides refugees in Poland with the support they need to find work, go to school, and meet friends, so they can thrive in a new country.

Thank you for supporting women like Olena! 

Over a year since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, we have continued working with our partner in Poland, Pontes, toprovidelong-term support for Ukrainian refugees.  

Viktoriia*, a 69-year-old Ukrainian refugee, shares how Pontes has helped transform her and her family’s life since the war: 

“I arrived in Poland in March from Kyiv, Ukraine. Thanks to the events at Pontes, I got a better understanding of the Polish language, I met many nice women who make me think I’m not alone with my own problems.” 

She explains how, thanks to one of Pontes’ programmes, her and her daughter have both been able to find jobs, and her granddaughter can continue her studies. 
 
“We all have found an occupation in Poland.I’mvery happybecause my daughter found not just any job, but she works as an English teacher at Warsaw's high school, and my granddaughter enrolled at Warsaw University. 

I’m glad I have met people with such golden hearts, they inspired and supported me and my family. We are in touch. Pontes organized the Christmas celebration for all of us with sweets and gifts. We’ve got books in Ukrainian.  

I recommend all my friends to come to Pontes, where they can find help and support. I want to thank the people who financially supported the program, because that support is essential for me and my family.” 

Thanks to your contributions, Viktoriia and her family, as well as many other Ukrainian refugees, can start to rebuild their lives. 

With gratitude, 

Giulia and the WONDER Team 

Almost 10 months on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our partner in Poland, Pontes, has been extremely busy welcoming the numerous incoming refugee women and girls and providing them with the necessary support they need to rebuild their lives. Our work in Poland has now turned from emergency aid to long-term support for over 400 women and children to rebuild their lives and recover from trauma. 

Thanks to your generous donations, Ponteshas been able to provide extensive Polish lessons to Ukrainian women and girls, many of whom see the language courses as an opportunity to integrate into their new countries and continue pursuing the dreams. Boyka*, for example, a 46-year-old journalist and radio editor, is hoping to gain official certification of her language skills so that she can continue her professional career and develop her talents in her new country.  

As young as 15, Daniela* shares that, before Pontes, she did not know a word of Polish. Now, thanks to the language courses, she can enrol in 8th grade at a Polish school and therefore regain her education. 

The Polish lessons not only teach the valuable language skills needed to adapt in a foreign country – Nataliya* also shares how, after a difficult escape from Ukraine with her children, “The kind, attentive, tactful organisers and teachers inspired me and gave me strength!” 

Alongside the language training, Pontes also holds a series of psychoeducational activities tohelp refugees regain a sense of dignity following their traumatic experiences. For example, Olena*, a 43-year-old mother, had to flee Ukraine and undergo heart surgery as she arrived in Poland. She shares how, after such psychological and physical turmoil, Pontes’ psychoeducational workshops helped her regain her confidence and learn to appreciate herself after all she has gone through.  

Thank you for helping us empower Ukrainian women and ensure they have the tools they need to have safe and fulfilling lives. 

With gratitude,  

Giulia and the WONDER Team 

*All names have been changed for privacy purposes.

Links:

• Wonder Foundation Website
• Pontes Website

Our partners in Poland are working with Ukrainian families to help children integrate into local schools and continue their studies.

Donations have provided children with essential school supplies, such as backpacks and new clothes. This has enabled Ukranian children, whose families fled their homes with very little, to attend class once more.

Additionally, the trauma experienced by Ukrainians can make it difficult to focus in a classroom setting. For example, 3-year-old Vlad and 12-year-old Tania have returned to school for the first time since fleeing Ukraine. Vlad has started attending the village school, but he’s terrified whenever a door slams, as the loud sound reminds him of bombs dropping on his hometown. Meanwhile, Tania is stressed at school because she can’t understand Polish.

Our partners are actively helping children like Vlad and Tania return to school by offering personalised mentoring, psychological support, and cultural activities.

Access to education for adult women refugees in Poland is an equally important issue. While many are eager to find work, some require language lessons first in order to adapt to life in Poland. Our partners not only provide language classes, but also help women with the paperwork they need to begin work.

By providing Polish language classes, we help Ukrainian women and children become better integrated within the local communities, facilitating their access to education and work.

Thank you for supporting Ukrainians as they adjust to a new life in Poland.

WONDER Foundation and our partners are so grateful for your generous support, which has already had a huge impact on the lives of Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to support our Polish partners in their efforts to help those fleeing Ukraine. We have already been able to help Ukrainian refugees in a number of ways:

• We have secured accommodation for 100 Ukrainian families
• 30 women have already found jobs
• Eight lorries carrying emergency and educational supplies have been sent to five different Polish cities: Warsaw, Wroclaw, Katowice, Wadowice and Szczecin
• These lorries have directly helped 100,000 refugees in Poland and 20,000 refugees on the Ukrainian border

Our partners have begun providing Ukrainian women and children with psychosocial support and Polish language classes, and are integrating them into Polish communities. They are also implementing educational support in Ukrainian to help children who are still learning Polish.

In preparation for our long-term project, WONDER staff have visited our Polish partner in Warsaw to help set up, coordinate, and prepare the long-term project. We will update you on our work in Poland in the coming weeks and months.

With gratitude, 

Nicole and the WONDER team