Help Ukrainian War Refugees in Romania

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Update: 3/26/2022:   I have been truly impressed by the response of so many people who have donated to help the Ukrainian refugees in Romania.  Because of these donations, we have been able to provide food, toiletries, shoes for children, safe housing, incontinence products for the elderly, and monetary aid to many refugees.  Many are transiting through Romania as they figure out next steps; some are staying in Romania for now in hopes that the war will end soon so they can return home.  Their individual stories have left an indelible impression on me, and because of you, I have been able to provide a friendly, helping hand to many on their journey.  As my trip will come to a close on March 30th, we are no longer accepting donations to the GoFundMe.  I want to ensure each dollar donated is able to be put to good use before I leave.  Thank you again for your generosity.   
-Stefan

Original post with updates below:

My name is Stefan Ciobanu and together with my co-worker Michael Dzenzeol am planning on making a trip to Romania to help with the refugee crisis created by the current Russian aggression against Ukraine. We are both Civil Engineers and are intimately aware of the humanitarian disaster at the Romanian - Ukrainian border.

 

As we see the images and hear the heart-wrenching stories of the countless innocent people fleeing their homes in Ukraine, it is difficult not to feel helpless. For each of us, we cannot imagine waking up one day to the sound of bombing, and then have to flee our homes in search of safety or stay to defend our country. For Michael and me, this conflict hits closer to home. I grew up just a couple hours from the Romanian-Ukrainian border on the Romanian side. For Michael, his ties are even closer. As a Ukrainian Jew, his family immigrated from Ukraine to the United States after the collapse of Soviet Union, but their ties to the country still run deep as their family and friends remaining there now fear for their lives.

 

As of March 2nd, it is estimated 38,461 Ukrainian refugees have entered Romania seeking safety and the number is climbing drastically each day as thousands of people line up for miles to enter the country. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, estimates up to 4 million refugees will flee Ukraine, many of whom will cross into Romania. (Update 3/5/22: Since February 24, over 138,454 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania and more than 51,000 are still in the country.)

 

Michael and I have decided we cannot stand idly by feeling helpless. We plan to team up to help the Ukrainian refugees coming to Romania. With our language proficiency (I am fluent in Romanian and English and Michael is fluent in Russian, Ukrainian and English), cultural competence and familiarity with the systems and resources available in Romania, we are planning to travel there this month to help disseminate necessary resources to refugees and aid them in their next steps.

 

The climate in Romania is similar to what we see here in Wisconsin and at the time the temperatures are below freezing with snow on the ground. The majority of people allowed to cross the border are women, children and the elderly, and at this time, they continue to be in need of food, water, warm clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, cots, air mattresses, generators, fuel, large tents, diapers, feminine hygiene products, SIM cards for cell phones so they can communicate, funds to provide more permanent shelter from the cold, and other necessities.

 

In addition to these things, these refugees need human warmth, kindness and a helping hand as they process the destruction their homeland and their family are enduring and try to figure out what to do next. Michael and I plan to be a helping hand on the ground, providing much needed resources and kindness to those we serve. To be able to aid these refugees, we will need to raise funds to purchase items and pay to shelter them.

 

We currently have a large passenger van available to transport necessities and to help transport refugees to cities where they can be sheltered safely. I have local connections in my hometown (Iasi, Romania), and can help provide guidance and connections to these people who never imagined having to leave their homeland, but have now had to enter a country of strangers.

 

Our goal is to raise $10,000 or more to provide direct relief to the refugees. If you choose to donate, we will provide frequent updates and pictures of our efforts and contributions via email, YouTube videos and/or Facebook Live Stream. Additionally, we will be transparent on our expenses and provide this information openly, procuring receipts and making those available upon request. Michael and I are willing to use two weeks of our vacation time, provide some personal funds and work tirelessly to ensure we impact as many of these people as possible.

 

Please consider making a donation to help the Ukrainian refugees fleeing into Romania. Whether the donation is large or small, every drop in the bucket counts and will go directly to the people personally affected by the war in Ukraine.

 

Thank you for your consideration. May we all continue to help the people of Ukraine at this time in whatever way we can.

UPDATE: Thank you all for your generosity. Please see the link below for the YouTube channel I have created and where I will be uploading the videos I take while in Romania of the refugees so you can see how your money is being spent.

LINK TO CHANNEL:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9QyAtK7l6kmTjZV8v_0TUw

 

ALSO, unfortunately Michael's family is not all that thrilled with the idea of him going to that area of the world at this time, they worry about his safety and I can understand that. So as of now I will be going alone but I think everything is going to go great and I'll do well.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Stefan Ciobanu