Hoping to restore at least some normalcy after fleeing the war in Ukraine, thousands of refugees waited in long lines in the Polish capital of Warsaw to receive local identification papers that will allow them to move on with their lives.
Hundreds of refugees from Ukraine wait in line to apply for Polish ID numbers that will entitle them to work, free health care and education, at a special application point at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday, March 19, 2022. The application points are not able to handle all those interested and ask many of them to return. refugees
“We are looking for a job now," said 30-year-old Kateryna Lohvyn, who was standing in the line with her mother, adding it took a bit of time to recover from the shock of the Russian invasion.Maryna Liashuk said the warm welcome from Poland has made her feel at home already. If the situation worsens, Liashuk said she would like to stay permanently in Poland with her family.
Most of the refugees fleeing Ukraine have been women and children, because men aged 18 to 60 are forbidden from leaving the country and have stayed to fight. “This is really so important to us that we can officially look for work, send children to school and be active here,” Svetlana said. “It really changes the way we feel here.”
“This is so stressful to leave your country in this moment like this,” said Masechko, who has joined a local school in Poland since arriving. Now, Masechko's Ukrainian teacher is seeking to organize classes online that were suspended when Russia attacked.