The war in Ukraine caused the departure of at least 5 million people. France welcomes around 100,000. This week, a look back at the journey of some of these Ukrainians. In one of the many families that has become a foster home for refugees. Emmanuel Ferlay and his family offer hospitality to a Ukrainian woman and her son. A report by Léa Ramsamy.
The one who is happy is Olha Demianenko. She received sunflower seed treats, a Ukrainian specialty. Very short red hair, a pink vest, Ohla is 35 years old. In Ukraine, she was a beautician. She hasn’t found a job in France yet, her days are a little empty and she misses her country.
” There are the sunflower seed treats that I miss, but mostly it’s my family. I have my other son who had to stay. I follow what is happening in Ukraine on a daily basis, I use a lot of chat, especially on Telegram. I come from Donbass, where it is the hottest. Sometimes there is no electricity so I cannot contact my family. I am very worried, because missiles can fall at any time. »
Successful integration into school
Thanks to his foster family, Olha’s son, Kyrilo, 12, was immediately educated. A relief for Olha: “ It was a very important stress of course, after all that we lived. Nevertheless, today, Kyrilo already feels very integrated. Like all children at first, he didn’t want to go back to school. But now he has discovered his new college, he says he is very happy to go back. There are a few Russian-speaking children in his school that he can talk to, but he has also made some French friends. And according to the feedback from the teachers and the director, everything is going well. Kyrilo is happy and motivated, that reassures me “.
Olha and Kyrilo were welcomed by Emmanuel Ferlay, his wife and their three children. At home, no one speaks Ukrainian, but everyone manages to communicate. ” Olha and Kyrilo are very discreet, very dignified, they keep things to themselves, so we have time. The idea is to foster an environment of safety and caring for them. “says the host.
A lingering trauma for refugees
It was thanks to Maryna Grytsenko Nénon that Olha met this French family. Maryna is of Ukrainian origin. When the Russian invasion began, this member of the Rotary club wanted to help welcome refugees to France. Maryna accompanies five Ukrainian families as an interpreter.
” We are lucky, things are going very, very well in this family. Mostly, this is the case. However, there are sometimes difficulties, she notes. People went through a terrible shock and still live in this shock, because even if they are today under the blue sky, their families are still under the bombs. »
For now, this family has agreed to provide Olha and Kyrilo with a roof over their heads until Christmas. But they are aware that the war could last and the welcome could last longer.