I am a graphic designer, married to Jacob, and we have two boys aged 26 and 24. In February 2022, I saw a post on LinkedIn from Thomas Senderovitz, who called for Housing people/Buddies for the new NGO, Aid Ukraine Denmark, of which he is chairman of the board. My husband and I decided we would like to be a buddy for an Ukrainian person who fled the war. We wrote to Aid Ukraine Denmark. Two days later, we received a call from another volunteer who asked if we would arrange a football day for Ukrainian children. Two weeks later, my husband and I had a wonderful Sunday at our children’s old football club, where we welcomed 80 wonderful Ukrainian mothers with kids who came to play football and meet each other. Kids played football, ate a sandwich and got a gift to take home.
What I experienced that day made such a big impression on me: mothers hugged each other and cried together, they are bound by the same tragedy, so I wanted to do much more to make them feel welcome in Denmark. My purpose was not only to give the children a good experience but also the mothers. I want them to meet each other and be able to network or help each other.
I started in Team Social, and we organised many different free social events: tennis, roller skating, football, basketball, football school, swimming and our weekly youth evenings for young people between 16-24 years of age. Since April, we have held a weekly evening from 5-7 pm where we help young people with practical challenges: language, jobs, and clothes. Food, travel cards, and bicycles. Hugs, kind words, and care are our emotional support. We always tell them that we are here to help them.
In Team Social, we care for around 25 young Ukrainian people, act as their Danish mothers, and help them as best we can. We have also collected many bags of clothes and donated them to the various refugee centres in Copenhagen. Our team is responsible for social events and direct help to mothers, children and young people.
I have made so many new friends and learned so much about Ukraine, and I am pleased to see how they are more and more integrated into Denmark, and Aid Ukraine Denmark has contributed to that. So I am proud to be part of Aid Ukraine Denmark.