Night fell in Darbres this Tuesday, March 15. At the entrance to the town, around twenty inhabitants wait in the cold. They are waiting for the arrival of the first coach of Ukrainian refugees organized by the State. Fifteen people get off the bus. This is a Ukrainian family from Kharkiv who fled the war, a father, a mother and their three children, two of whom are under 5 years old. They traveled from Paris. With them in the bus, 10 students, some of whom come from kyiv. They are not of Ukrainian nationality. They are mostly North Africans. “We have the reality of war before us”confesses Patricia Eyraud, the mayor of Darbres.
The language barrier
For elected municipal officials, firefighters and doctors, the first difficulty remains the language. Fortunately for them, Oxana a Ukrainian was present in this holiday center managed by FOL. She was the one who helped the refugees with their identification, covid tests and medical examinations.
They stayed for several days in the cellars in Kharkiv
Laurence left her 8-year-old daughter behind
Among the students, Laurence stares into space while waiting to be tested. Fatigue can be read on the face of this young Cameroonian of 23 years. “A week ago in Kharkiv a missile fell on the building next to my house”, says the manager of an African restaurant. After studying management, Laurence obtained a resident visa in Ukraine. Beside him, his belongings are gathered in a small red suitcase. But the most important remained nearly 3,000 km away, it is his 8-year-old daughter. “I just wish for peace and for the war to end”he says.
– Romain Berchet
Laurence intends to return home, “in my house” as he says at the end of the war.
According to the mayor of Darbres, other Ukrainian refugees were expected to arrive in the coming days. The town would expect 76 in total.