BAPS Responds to Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis, Poland

27 Feb 2022 to 2 Mar 2022

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi personally called Brahmaviharidas Swami at midnight on Sunday 27 February, asking for assistance from BAPS

Brahmaviharidas Swami reassured the Prime Minister that help was already on its way

Immediately, swamis and devotees from all over Europe called an emergency meeting to mobilise volunteers

Thousands of stranded students have fled the conflict-stricken region of Ukraine seeking safe haven

BAPS volunteers met with Ms Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Ambassador of India to the Republic of Poland

Keyur Bhatt, a lead BAPS volunteer from London, discusses logistics with Ambassador Mallick

As refugees arrived at a hotel in Rzeszów, south-east Poland, they were greeted and registered by BAPS volunteers

Shailesh Bhavsar, a BAPS lead volunteer, had arrived overnight from Paris, France

Chirag Godiwala, a BAPS volunteer from Interlaken, Switzerland, helps new arrivals settle down

Hot food had been driven to the hotel on the first night

A field kitchen has been set up in the hotel lobby for the refugees

Hot vegetarian meals are being provided to the refugees

People of all faiths and nationalities are being served at the camp

A Ukrainian of Polish origin working in the American Army shows his appreciation to a BAPS volunteer

Volunteers have convened from BAPS centres in the UK, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy and Poland

As transportation arrived, some of the refugees were escorted from the hotel

The young students were relieved to be returning home to India

The refugees were helped onto buses to the airport for flights back to India

The refugees boarded buses to the airport for flights back to India

Bimal Patel, a BAPS volunteer from Warsaw, Poland, has been helping coordinate with local service agencies in Rzeszów