Aid convoy
Project : “a convoy for Ukraine”
The first humanitarian venture was the planning and taking part in of a humanitarian convoy for Ukraine at the beginning of April 2022. In a few weeks, Aidocean helped to put in place the 18 person team, as well as raising funds for the project. Distributed across eight vans, 40m³ of necessary material were transported to the small Ukrainian village of Korolevo. They returned to France with 23 refugees.
Leaving on April 1st from Toulon, the Var-based team of the convoy finished the humanitarian mission on Friday April 8th after a week long round trip of 3600 km. The refugees recuperated in Korolevo were welcomed by the Var prefecture in Toulon.
Between a being pulled over by border security in Italy, the drivers catching a bout of nastry gastro, a trailer tire blowing out on the freeway… And above all the emotional tears when our guests began to sing the Ukrainian national anthem…The group had a very intense three days on the way back. Life long bonds were forged despite the language barrier.
Everyone got to know each other, managing to converse thanks to the translators on our mobile phones.
This trip to retrieve refugees from a country devastated by war will remain a unique experience for all of us. A genuine moment of humanity that we will not forget.
m³ of materials of first necessity
Ukrainian refugees brought back to France
km traveled
What was the route ?
Sponsors & Supporters – Thank You
Supporters
Euros collected
After the convoy ?
We visit the refugees, half of them lodged in Bandol and the other half in Toulon, regularly to ensure they are doing well and have everything they need. Despite the hardships they have and continue to face, and the fact that they are separated from their families and husbands, their morale is excellent and they are taking full advantage of living in the Var, discovering the region during excursions organised for them.
The language barrier still makes conversations difficult and telephone translators are used often. But we manage to get by and make ourselves understood. All the moments spent together are happy. Seeing the smile of one of the mothers when their child takes us by the hand to walk down the street is always heart warming. Even after all the weeks of stress leading up to the arrival in an unknown country, their faces are now relaxed and smiling.
For example, last weekend a small group came to visit the boat “Merci” in the port of Toulon. After a while spent chatting on deck, we decided to prolong the moment with a good ice cream taken on the port and to leave for an improvised evening picnic at the beach of La Mître.
It was touching when the tired little ones climbed up onto our shoulders to ride home.
Want to participate in Aidocean projects ?
Discover our projects
Orphanage
Vaccination campaign
Our next projects in 2023 : continue the child vaccination campaign in papoua-New-Guinea beggining in 2022. Aidocean wants to take action to prevent the resurgence of deadly epidemics and bring life-saving vaccines to the tribes on the island of New Ireland.
