My journey of discovering humanity in crisis and service

4 minutos
Wall with papers and drawings.
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Slovensky Skauting

Veronika is a 21-year-old Scout in Slovakia. She became active in community service actions during the COVID-19 pandemic when Slovakian Scouts led response efforts like delivering face masks and respirators. In 2022, Veronika joined the UAct project, giving her support at the border as hundreds of Ukrainians fled to Slovakia. As a psychology student, she observed some compelling aspects of humanitarian work, and a strong sense of comradery was one. 

When the war broke out in February 2022, many of us Scouts went to the borders to give a hand any way we could. So many mothers with young children, even babies, had just crossed the border, escaping into Slovakia. It was like a basecamp set up, and different organisations were present and growing by the day to provide their services to the refugee families. 

The temperature was freezing cold, and the nights were horrible. We had a large room where Ukrainian families stayed for the night until they arranged their next move. It didn’t take Scouts long to organise ourselves. When we saw how much help was needed, we immediately divided ourselves into day and night shifts. Some of us volunteered at the registration desk, and others ensured the refugees were warm while waiting for their passports and documents to be checked. Some of us volunteered by helping other organisations, like Cooks without Borders, to serve hot meals to the refugees. 

We were around 40-50 Scouts daily, depending on people’s availability. We were spread out across the campsite, even taking the initiative to keep the location and bathrooms clean. 

I was there for the first week, registering volunteers, reporters, drivers, and whoever visited the campsite. One thing that has stuck with me since then is the positive attitude of everyone giving support at the border. We all worked with great enthusiasm and energy, which immensely helped our spirits. I hope the refugees also found this attitude helpful and comforting. 

Scouts who spoke Ukrainian or Russian were the first point of contact for the families as they arrived, which was incredibly emotional and challenging. But despite this, everyone was motivated – we became a community, all supporting each other and working toward the same thing. 

Soon after, I moved and started working at the camp in Michalovce, where some refugees were transported there from the border. I was there handling the registrations of everyone present at the site, including volunteers who came not only from Slovakia but also from around the world to volunteer and give their time and support. Again, the support and motivation were all around me. We spent much time together, connected, and learned from each other daily in these challenging situations. I felt part of a community where people interacted on a deeper level as human beings and with so much openness. It felt gratifying.

I believe everyone involved in this humanitarian response learned a lot and grew from it. In my case, I was having some issues with my studies that were really affecting my mental health. This experience opened my eyes. It made me witness right before my eyes the devastating struggles others we forced to face and made me view my life differently, and now I feel very grateful to be alive. It also helped me restore my faith in others after being surrounded by genuinely kind people each day. The whole environment runs on acts of kindness among the refugees and the volunteers. 

From my experience, I can say it’s important that youth get involved in humanitarian work. As it did for me, humanitarian action allows young people to see their real potential and believe they can do so much! 

Going forward, I am planning to continue with my studies in psychology. This humanitarian experience certainly shaped my future career plans too. I’ve become very interested in clinical psychology for children in humanitarian crises and those who experienced trauma.