Klaudia and her daughter Roksolanka are living in the Training and Conference Centre of the University of Lodz at Rogowska street.
After the war began, Klaudia, her sister and her friend together with thousands of other refugees crossed the border and came to Lodz (they were travelling on foot because the buses were no longer available). They were taken care of by Prof. Rafał Matera, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Sociology.
- It was a spontaneous act of charity, as was the case with many other Polish people during the first days of Russian aggression – explains Prof. Matera – Michał Mackiewicz, professor at the Faculty of Economics and Sociology, posted on Facebook that he will provide shelter for Ukrainians running away from the war. A man, who was transporting four women and four children from abroad, almost immediately contacted him. Michal could only take four people in so I invited Klaudia and her sister with two kids.
After a couple of weeks we were able to rent them a flat in Retkinia. When the owner came back from England, we got the idea to accommodate Klaudia, who was in a far advanced pregnancy at that time, in the buildings of the University of Lodz (her sister had already come back to Ukraine).
- Chancellor Kamila Szcześniak agreed to accommodate Klaudia in the Training and Conference Centre of the University of Lodz at Rogowska street – says Prof. Matera. – We managed to obtain funding for her stay from the voivode of Lodz.
Today, the young mother is content with her stay at the centre at Rogowska street – because of the quiet green area and very tasty cuisine. Her mother, who joined them after a couple of months, is helping her take care of her daughter.
Klaudia emphasises that she had received selfless help in Poland, very often from complete strangers. She also noted the kindness of the Polish people that she experience every day. She is very grateful to all the people that had opened their hearts to Ukrainians in need.
- When I got pregnant, I didn’t really think about giving birth to Roksolanka abroad, in Poland – says Klaudia. – Despite a very warm welcome from Polish people, which still amazes us, we would like to go back to Ukraine so that Roksolanka’s father can be with us at home, and we never have to stay separated, run away or miss one another. I wish that the situation would go back to what it was before 24 February.
Klaudia’s husband decided to serve in the military immediately after the war began and remained in Lviv. He is garrisoned. Klaudia is constantly in touch with him via mobile phone. He has only seen his daughter on the screen of a smartphone so far.
Roksolanka, who was born in Lodz, will have Ukrainian citizenship, her mother does not plan to apply for Polish citizenship for her. With Prof. Rafał Matera’s help, Klaudia has already registered her daughter and finalised the passport formalities, related to her birth, in the Embassy of Ukraine.
Klaudia would like to come back to Poland after the war is over but not like today – as a refugee. She promised to invite everyone who is helping her today in Poland to Lviv.
Content: Paweł Śpiechowicz, Marcin Kowalczyk – Centrum Promocji UŁ
Photos: Adam Wróbel - Centrum Promocji UŁ