Luba (which means Love in Ukrainian)
Dear Randolph,
Thank you for reaching out to me and for keeping an eye on this precious child, still living near the front lines. I will share with you what I can to help Luba and her grandma. Here is the process for Germany:
If Luba and her grandma have documents (passport/ID/letter of guardianship/death certificate for parents/etc), they would be taken to the border and I will arrange to either meet them there myself, or have a trusted driver who would meet them there.
If they do not have documents, they would be transported either to Kyiv or Lviv, where the documents would be made by officials. During the time it takes to get documents created, I would ensure they have food and shelter, and that they are cared for and supported in the process of getting what they require for travel outside of Ukraine.
The next step is to get them across the border. I would reach out to the Humanitarian Hub for support in getting them across a border safely.
Once they have crossed the border, they would be brought to me here in northern Germany. Again, If I need to come and pick them up myself, I will. If there are other aid drivers coming this way with space available, I would have them brought to me. I only work with people whom I know personally.
The drive, if they cross at Chelm, takes 10-11 hours to reach me. I usually have people stop overnight on the outskirts of Berlin, where I have a safe and trusted family who will welcome them with open arms, their own bedroom to sleep in, and a warm meal and breakfast before sending them off for the rest of the drive the next day.
From Chelm to Berlin it is 7-8 hours. From Berlin to me, it is 3-4 hours.
The location where I live is 1 hour north of Hamburg, directly at the Baltic Sea. Most of the Ukrainians who come to me spend their first days walking in the sand by the seaside, between the errands we must run for registration and so forth. Luba and her grandmother will stay with me and my family for the first weeks. They will have their own bedroom. We have two bathrooms that are shared. They will eat with our family and if they would like to cook, they are more than welcome to use the kitchen whenever they like.
I will show them around the community and introduce them to other Ukrainians living here. Our village has a population of about 9,000 people, but we have a lot of tourists who visit the beach during the summer. It is small enough to walk or take a bus anywhere you would like to go. There are other Ukrainian children living here in the community and going to school here. Luba will have friends waiting to play with her.
I will drive them to get registered in our county and town offices. They will present their documents to the immigration office, and then we will get them registered at the JobCenter, where benefits such as medical and financial benefits are distributed. The actual amount of financial support varies, but housing and a monthly stipend that is sufficient to live from will begin within the first 6-8 weeks of their arrival. Until then, they will be provided for by me and my organization.
Currently, there are 208 Ukrainian families living in my community. Housing in Germany is tight, but in the smaller villages there is still space. If they want to be in a large city, it will be very difficult for them as they are just a number. But all of those whom I have evacuated will tell you that I will help to guide them through the process, and if they should decide to go elsewhere from here, I will help them to get there too. I have helped more than 500 families at this point. Some live in the UK. Some in Canada. Some in the USA. And many, right here in my small seaside community.
I hope this information helps. I have asked a few of the Ukrainians to send letters to me today or tomorrow that you can give to Luba and her grandmother. I will forward them as soon as I receive them.
Much love to you all. Be safe. We are waiting with open arms.
Leigh
