NEWGEIN – After the fundraising campaign of Giro 555 last Monday, all initiatives to help Ukrainians are far from over. Items are still being collected throughout the province and they have to be brought to Ukraine.
That is why seven trucks are leaving today from Eemnes to neighboring Hungary. It contains medicines, non-perishable food, tents and care products for the Ukrainians affected in the war zone.
With a distance of about 3,400 kilometers by truck, this is not a cheap undertaking, especially not with current fuel prices. “In the first instance we would bear all the costs”, says Gerard Elbers, one of the initiators.
Then he came up with the idea to send a message in the entrepreneur app in the village whether other entrepreneurs and residents might want to contribute. On the day of departure, the counter is at 15,000 euros. “Everyone has really donated a lot. We are extremely grateful for that.” The caravan hopes to arrive at the Ukrainian border on Friday evening and then be back in the Netherlands after the weekend.
Ukrainian police at the border
And where one company transports resources that way, the other company helps get people there. A number of police officers on their own initiative asked Triomf Tours from Nieuwegein to support them in collecting the families of their Ukrainian colleagues at the border.
“We may have had a bad period in the past two years,” says owner Lisandro Vernooij, “but that is still in stark contrast to what happens to those people there.” It was therefore quickly decided that his company would help. “We will definitely cooperate with that.”
Just like the companies from Eemnes, the coach company collects money for the petrol, 1200 liters of fuel to be precise. “We want to use our vehicle and ourselves to make this possible. But after the past two years, we just don’t have the financial resources to sponsor this alone.”
The coaches will leave in that direction tomorrow morning. “Every day later is traumatic for those children.” Many cuddly toys and sleeping bags for the Ukrainian children are already being brought to the Nieuwegein company. The coaches drive back to the Netherlands in one go, where professional reception is provided. The organization will only hear which security region the refugees are welcome in when the buses are approaching the border.