Since the beginning of the war, 45 Ukrainian minors from the Pokrov orphanage in Lviv have been taken in. The youngest, aged between 6 and 11, have been housed directly with families, while the oldest, aged between 11 and 17, have been taken in Salesian centers in Bratislava-Miletičova, Hody, Žilina, Poprad and Rožňava. Today, some of these children have returned to Ukraine, while 12 of them are still in Slovakia, where they will continue their studies. They will attend school in Bratislava, Žilina and Hody.
During these months, to alleviate stress and worries, the youths have been involved in numerous recreational activities, including cultural trips to Spiš Castle and Bešeňová Spa, and an educational visit to the editorial office of "Noe Ostrava." The children, with the help of donors, were also able to travel abroad, visiting Italy, Malta and Switzerland, and participate in sports activities and events.
Meanwhile, Salesians in Slovakia offer training courses for volunteers working with Ukrainian children, helping them understand how to deal with issues such as post-traumatic stress, crisis intervention, psychological support and more.
Also, five Slovak language courses for women and children were started in Bratislava, and toy libraries and playrooms were opened for the youngest children. The goal is to make children feel safe and integrated into society. With the same purpose, there is a children's center in the town of Poprad, created in cooperation with the local Caritas.
Furthermore, as many as twelve trucks with food, medical supplies and personal hygiene products have been sent to Ukraine from Slovakia since the beginning of the war. Once the materials arrive in Ukraine, they are collected in a warehouse and then distributed mainly to less accessible places, such as Kharkiv, Mariupol, Odessa, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Lysychansk, Severodonetsk and others.
Delivering the goods is not easy. The vans have been subjected to long and constant journeys, necessitating several vehicle repairs. In addition, one of the vehicles was damaged due to being hit by gunfire. Despite everything, however, the aid does not stop.
The Salesians, in fact, continue to participate in collections of humanitarian materials and have already managed to organize logistical links between Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany. A large warehouse has been rented in the city of Prešov, which is used to store all the material coming from Slovakia and other parts of Europe, and then destined for Ukraine.
