425.786 Refugees Mothers and Children Entered Romania Already

I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures flooding the internet and TV.  Already by March 16th, thousands of Ukranian refugees, primarily women and children are arriving traumatized in Romania, forced to flee with just the clothes on their backs, leaving behind burning buildings, the unknown fate of family and loved ones, and no idea when they will be able to return home.

"Mama, I'm ready. I won't cry. Let's go!"

Already over 425.786 people have crossed the border so far, and many are children, like Maya a four year old little girl who arrived with her 10 year old brother and mother today in an improvised shelter in a hotel in Siret where she met with Melinda, our volunteer emergency psychologist. Earlier this morning,  Maya had been sheltering with her family in an underground metro station, listening to the frightening explosions and high-pitched whine of sirens outside. When suddenly the noises stopped, she put on her little jacket all by herself and turned to her mother, who was comforting her sobbing 10-year-old brother and said "Mama, now I am ready. I won't cry. Let's go!"

You can provide Maya with immediate trauma care 

You can provide safety, protection, and care to Maya and the other Ukrainian refugee children fleeing to Romania from the bombing by supporting their emergency psychological care.  While there are many organisations present at the border offering food, clothing and other goods, there were no specialists in emergency psychology. AMURTEL's  certified emergency psychologist Melinda has been seeing up to 100 cases per day since the crisis began. However,  we need your help to urgently expand our small team, and add a social worker, more psychologists, and a driver/ translator so that she can reach nearby cities. The earlier children like Maya and their parents can receive safety and counseling the more that the harmful impact of such trauma can be reduced. 

AMURTEL is on the ground at the border

Already,  our AMURTEL team has been busy offering emergency psychological care at the border in Siret, where most of the refugees have been flooding into the country.  Melinda, just met with four-year old Maya, only a half an hour after she crossed the border with her mother and brother. She drew this drawing of bombs and an explosion that looks like a flower as she talked about their flight with Melinda.  Her older brother also drew this one of the bombing in Kyiv.

You are ensuring that all volunteers at Siret know how to best serve the refugees

There has been an exemplary outpouring of goodwill from Romanians and international volunteers, bringing out some of the noblest qualities in human beings.  For many, it is the very first time that they have ever been actively involved in such a large-scale humanitarian response.  AMURTEL has created a training program for all of the volunteers to facilitate a good coordination between organisations and authorities, as well as to ensure that everyone knows how to apply international humanitarian standards to the situation.  One of the most important things though is that AMURTEL is organizing Psychological First Aid sessions so that all of the volunteers present interact with the refugees in a psychologically appropriate way to offer them comfort and support, not just physically but also emotionally. Here you can experience the orientation tour that we prepared for volunteers and refugees:

You can equip our mobile psycho-social support team with stories, info and toys

AMURTEL is putting together packets of information and therapeutic stories and activities for parents of small children that make Maya and the other children feel welcome, understood and safe again.  Your generous support will allow our mobile team to extend its services to shelters like the one pictured below in the nearby towns, not just at the border.

Thank you!

Thank you in advance for giving this important opportunity to vulnerable children, at this critical time. We are praying this situation will end soon, but in the meantime, we are all want to do the best we can for our sisters and brothers in Ukraine.

Please forward this appeal to friends who would like to help the children and mothers of Ukraine, who are innocent victims in this war.

More information about AMURTEL Romania can be found on our website.

* we change the names of minors to protect their identity