New refugee center in Poland aims to give rapid assistance to Ukrainians

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

WARSAW (AA) – A new refugee reception center in Poland's capital Warsaw is fast becoming a first arriving point for thousands of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war at home.

The center launched by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and The Polish Centre for International Aid (PCPM) aims to reach out to 200,000 people by the end of April.

The main goal, according to a statement from the NRC is “providing education, psychosocial support, shelter, legal assistance and cash to people in need.”

Slawomir Klusek, the deputy chief manager of the reception center, described the hub as a place that hosts Ukrainian refugees as they arrive in Warsaw by train.

“This is the place where Ukrainian refugees get out of train when they arrive Poland … and from this place they are going to their final destinations,” he told Anadolu Agency.

The hub is not a place where the refugees can stay for long but “they are staying minimum of half an hour and maximum of 12 hours during which we are organizing for them a transport.”

“This time is to let them rest and think about the decision what to do next,” Klusek said.

The center has hosted around 6,000 people since it was opened a week ago, he added.

The center located at the Warsaw East Station provides meals, medical services and psychosocial support to “1,500 refugees expected to be staying there at any given time,” according to the NRC.

It provides information and free tickets to those who would like to leave Poland for other European countries.

The arriving refugees are also given free sim cards and free calling minutes if they need them on their arrival.

“Poland has opened its doors to over two million people fleeing the war in Ukraine in just a month,” Jan Egeland, NRC’s Secretary General said in a statement.

“The generosity of the Polish people is an example to the rest of Europe, but has left Poland stretched and overwhelmed, as volunteers, local authorities and aid groups work night and day to meet the needs of those crossing the border,” he said, at the launching ceremony of the center.

It features a dedicated space for children, a medical point and a special point for psychological support.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than 4 million people, most of whom are women and children, fled to neighboring countries.