Bringing to light Ukrainan refugees in the shadows

Seiko Yoshitake is the Director of Digital Marketing at USA for UNHCR. In November 2024, she traveled to Poland to meet Ukrainian refugees and observe UNHCR’s life-changing work. 

Recently, I visited Poland to witness firsthand the care and protection UNHCR delivers to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. I met with courageous families who are working hard to build peaceful lives for themselves in Poland. So many I spoke with shared traumatic stories of fleeing the war, their struggle to find community, and their anxiety about the future of their country and whether they will ever be able to return home. Many were unsure if they still had a home to return to. And despite it all, the individuals I met remained hopeful. Hopeful to provide a loving, caring space for their children to grow. Hopeful because of the new friendships forged in a time of need. Hopeful because they know there are kind people like UNHCR supporters who have not forgotten them.

I’ve been working for USA for UNHCR for nearly five years, and I was part of the organization’s emergency response when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. I remember the long hours and weekends and the lightning speed at which we worked to keep pace with the growing needs and I remember being inspired by the generosity and care of our donors. We raised millions of dollars to help refugees and displaced people in Ukraine. 

During my trip, I heard from refugees from all walks of life, each taking the time to share their stories, challenges and dreams. Their resilience warmed my heart, even as I began to feel winter’s cold set in and the first snow of the season began to fall. I want to share a few stories from what one UNHCR staffer called “refugees in the shadows”—those who have been forgotten or unheard but whose resilience shines bright.

Children find joy in their hobbies

Meet Bojana, a very talented young acrobat who fled Ukraine and now lives in Rzeszow, Poland. She regularly visits TUTU, a center for integration and inclusion for refugee and Polish children. Bojana and I do not share a language, but we do share a love for acrobatics. We took turns sharing skills and challenging each other until I ran out of energy–but she could have kept going for hours! Despite the challenges she faces, like being far from home, in a new and foreign place, Bojana exudes nothing but joy.

Inclusion can’t be an afterthought

Meet Nikita, a young boy who was forced to flee Ukraine with his mother, Alona. Nikita and his family found safety in Lublin, Poland. When they first arrived, they struggled to find services for children and people with disabilities, until they found the Eleon Foundation. Founded in Ukraine, the Eleon Foundation established a location in Lublin, in partnership with UNHCR, to provide hippotherapy (horse therapy) to refugee children with disabilities. Nikita’s mother shared the improvement she has seen in his confidence since joining. He looks forward to his sessions, which have become an important part of his weekly routine. 

Strong women band together

Meet Maria, Valentina, Lubna and Olga. These women met thanks to a partnership between UNHCR and Caritas, a Catholic relief organization, after fleeing their homes in Ukraine. Some of them don’t have family with them, so they have created their own family among themselves. 

“We met [in Poland],” shares Valentina, pictured above, second from the left. “We are the same age and we are retired. I am alone. I have no family, but I met my new family. We have tea and coffee, and we share with each other and support each other.”

While they are so grateful to be able to find safety in Warsaw, Poland, all they want is to return home to Ukraine.

Refugees give back to help others

Meet Valentyn in his UNHCR jacket, helping a Ukrainian refugee family navigate the Przemyśl train station in eastern Poland and carrying luggage. Valentyn's work is deeply personal — he and his family are refugees from Ukraine. Valentyn and his family fled Kharkiv in March 2022, finding safety in Poland. Exempt from military service because he has five children, Valentyn sought other ways to support fellow Ukrainian refugees. His search landed him a job with UNHCR. He is at the station daily, meeting Ukrainians who are fleeing the war and delivering care and protection. While providing critically valuable information, Valentyn is also a beacon of comfort for those who don’t speak Polish. 

Dogs are family too!

Meet Fiji and his mom Slava—just one of many pets who have made the journey with their owners to find safety. As a dog mom, I know how important pets are to a family. It brought me great joy to know they could accompany their families and provide warmth and love—some of which they even shared with me.

Throughout my trip, I asked the same question of people I met: " What do you want people to know about Ukraine?” The overwhelming response was to share that the war in Ukraine isn’t over. They still need our support, and they can’t be forgotten.” 

If you feel inclined to help, please make a donation to USA for UNHCR to help refugees like the ones you’ve met above, and millions of others around the world. Every gift matters!