Besides offering places for university students fleeing the war in Ukraine, BISLA students decided to volunteer and help at: 

• Bratislava – Train station: In cooperation with the League of Human rights, BISLA students are helping the incoming Ukrainians and the crisis-response team.
• Michalovce – borders and refugee centre: Thanks to the contacts of our faculty and administration employees, we are able to send two students for a week-long stay at the borders with Ukraine and the refugee centre in Michalovce each week, helping with the organization.

Here are some of out volunteers and their reflections on the situation after being directly involved:

Damián – I spent five days in a large-capacity center in Michalovce. I was very encouraged by how the public, private, and non-profit sectors work together. It’s certainly not ideal, but everyone is doing their best. I believe that the willingness to help will not wane and we will be close to our neighbors from Ukraine.

Tomáš – After reading the stories of the invasion online, it was astonishing to talk to their witnesses in real life. Having spent a week in the centre, I had the opportunity to see tens of brave Ukrainians fleeing the war. “Which country would you like to go to?” we asked one of them. She (and many others) responded: “Back home.”

Reika – As a student from Japan, I was impressed by how grateful the people from Ukraine are and how helpful the volunteers from all over the world were. The way they treated each other was heartwarming. I can’t get the words “thank you” out of my head.

Lucia – I am truly grateful that I had the opportunity to spend a few days in a camp where people fleeing the war were coming. You get to hear many different stories – mothers with children who were forced to leave their husbands behind in Ukraine, people whose families were still in the cities that were being bombarded, not knowing whether they were alive, survivors from Bucha and many others. Those stories I will never forget.

Natália – It was not always about helping with the refugees’ critical physical or mental needs. Sometimes, only a smile, a nod of their head, letting kids take as many candies as they want, or waiting together for the taxi was enough. And you could see the gratitude from even the minimum level of effort by showing very basic signs of acknowledgement, solidarity and empathy.

These students manifest the message of humanity, and we are thankful for their involvement.