When 'How are you?' questions don't help, Ukrainian community turns to action

Ukrainian immigrants across New Brunswick are forming associations, fundraising and opening up their homes to help people fleeing the war.

The recently formed Ukrainian Association of Saint John is scheduled to have its first fundraising event Saturday. The Ukrainian Club of Moncton has been fundraising since March, and the Ukrainian Community of Fredericton is hosting a fundraiser for humanitarian aid on Sunday.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than three million refugees have fled the country, creating what has been called the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The hundreds of Ukranians living in New Brunswick are 7,000 kilometres away from the country but are still working to help.

Ivan Zakharenkov, president of the Ukrainian Association of Saint John, will be hosting three families in his own home, some of whom are wives and children of his childhood friends. Their husbands can't travel because men have to stay and fight by law.

"[The goal is] to give them a temporary place to stay and help them to acclimate," he said. "Just to show them around, so people understand how Canada works."

Svitlana Goncharova, the vice-president of the Saint John association, said it has 30 volunteers who are giving their time and homes to receive people coming to New Brunswick to escape the war. To support this effort, the group is holding a fundraiser at the Jervis Bay Legion on Saturday. 

There will be local vendor products for sale, food tasting, braiding, crafts and live Ukrainian music.

"I just want to see many people from Saint John just to feel their support," she said 

"Personally, I benefit from all the messages and all the kind words, it helps a lot to understand that we are not alone and Ukraine is not alone."

Zakharenkov said the money will go toward helping people in Ukraine and in Saint John. He said donations will go to helping people cross the border to get away from the active war zone, and to people who are coming here — for things such as bus passes and covering initial settlement expenses.

Sharing traditions to make connections

The Ukrainian Community of Fredericton is holding a similar fundraiser, called Stand Together, on Sunday at Journey Church.

Organizer Oksana Tesla said doing something has been the best way to cope with the stress and worry about family and friends back home. Conversation with them isn't enough, she said.

"Those conversations are tough," she said, but doing something helps more than talking about it. They've already sent nine pallets of medical supplies to Krakow, and partnering with people in Moncton to do more.

"'How are you?' questions do not help in this case, unfortunately," Tesla said. "So we talk about what we can do."

Within Sunday's event there will be a workshop to teach people about traditional folk dolls called Motanka, she said.

Motanka are dolls that protect the household and are known for not having faces and being made without needles.

"It comes back to the main purpose of the doll, it should be protecting" she said. "So when there's a cross on the face it's even more protecting."

The name of the doll comes from the word "to roll," said Tesla. The fabric would be rolled and thread would be used to tie it together. When making the dolls, people often would think of their well-wishes for the people the dolls are meant for.

"Definitely it should be all positive," she said.

The dolls would also be shaped differently depending on the goal. Dolls for healthy children would be small, and a couple of dolls would be made for happy marriage.

"Most of the common purposes is for health. … If you would like to gift the doll to your friend or your relative or even to your children, with your thought you would put all those wishes into the doll."

Some of the dolls made by members of the community will be sold in the fundraiser.