Malteser International: "We need humanitarian
corridors to bring food into the country"
Cologne/Lviv. Cold, snow, and a lack of food, medicines and other essential goods threaten the welfare of refugees in Ukraine. "The situation for the fleeing women, children and elderly is catastrophic. We are starting to run out of everything," said Pavlo Titko, Head of Order of Malta Ukraine.
"At the border with Poland and Slovakia, queues of cars of up to 40 kilometres long are forming. People need blankets, they wait for hours in their cars or make their way on foot. In Kyiv, small children are being put on trains heading west by their parents alone and unaccompanied."
Malteser International's Secretary General, Clemens Graf von Mirbach-Harff, appealed to the warring parties to establish humanitarian corridors. "Civilians must be cared for or be able to reach the border safely,” said Mirbach. “Most people, however, remain in the country. They must not be cut off from supplies, otherwise even more people will die from hunger or exposure than as a direct consequence of the fighting. We need humanitarian corridors to bring food into the country."
The Order of Malta is aiding refugees directly at the border in Ukraine as well as in neighbouring Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania. In Lviv, more than 1,000 meals were served in a soup kitchen today. Order of Malta Ukraine was able to activate 80 additional volunteer helpers.
Around the world, those supporting the Ukrainian cause are showing up by the hundreds of thousands. Individuals and companies are donating money, goods, and services. Order of Malta Poland has been provided with several vans from the Sixt car rental company. These will be used to shuttle patients or refugees to shelters. "We have been a partner of Malteser International for many years and are now very happy that we can quickly provide help to the people and especially the children fleeing Ukraine in this way," says Regine Sixt, Chairwoman of the Board of the Regine Sixt Children's Aid Foundation "Tränchen Trocknen".
Private individuals and companies can contact a hotline set up by Malteser. The number is: +49 (0)800 - 589 279 94. Secretary General Clemens Graf von Mirbach-Harff: "There is a great sense of European solidarity. Every cent donors give, expresses that. We are doing everything we can to expand our capacities and want to answer initial questions with the hotline."
Attention editors:
You can find photos for download here: https://malteser.eyebase.com/view/pinRTksi8hy
Oliver Hochedez, Head of the Emergency Department of Malteser International in Cologne, is available for interviews and sound bites.
Operator: +49 (0)221 98227 181, katharina.kiecol(at)malteser-international.org
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