Nearly a month after the start of the war in Ukraine, 3 million people have fled the country bombarded by Russian forces. While some have found refuge at the Polish, Belarusian and Moldavian borders, others have managed to go further and have arrived in France. While the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron assured that our country could welcome up to 100,000 refugees, Olivier, a 43-year-old business manager living in Marseille, welcomed a 31-year-old Ukrainian woman named Anna, with her daughter 5 years old.
It has been two weeks since the man who lived alone offered room and board to this pretty blonde who fled Ukraine with her daughter and two suitcases, and managed to reach Marseille. With great care, Olivier has given up his room to the young woman and her daughter and is sleeping on the sofa in his living room.
Filmed by the cameras of the RMC Story channel for a report on the French having decided to welcome refugees, the two young people revealed behind the scenes of this extraordinary cohabitation. “We try to make sure that her little girl sees other children! For Anna, seeing her daughter happy is essential” explains Olivier before specifying that the little one has already been enrolled in school. If Anna speaks very good English, she does not know the French language for the moment: “I will try to take lessons. We are trying to start a new life here” she assures.
A controversial welcome
A few hours after the broadcast of this report, a controversy arose on social networks and Internet users accused the 43-year-old entrepreneur of having welcomed a rather “pretty” and single refugee, perhaps to take advantage and start a relationship… Faced with criticism, Olivier and Anna went to the set of “Touche pas à mon poste” to clarify the situation.
From the outset, Olivier revealed that Anna was a friend of his that he had known for a year already. It was through a common Ukrainian friend living in the south of France that they met and discussed on social networks about a possible professional retraining in IT for the young woman. When the war broke out, Olivier was simply there for the pretty blonde in distress…
On the set of TPMP, the business manager therefore assured that he welcomed Anna only because she is a friend and not to take advantage of the vulnerability of a pretty refugee in distress. The man has also created an association to welcome other refugees and put people living in Marseille in touch with each other, wishing to welcome people with refugees.
“I did that at the start, because I knew her”Lynched on social networks, the rant of Olivier, business manager, who hosts Anna, a Ukrainian refugee. #TPMPpic.twitter.com/3IAPe2GYSI
— TPMP (@TPMP) March 18, 2022
“I was terribly shocked” Lynched on social networks, to be hosted by a single man: The rant of Anna, a Ukrainian refugee. #TPMPpic.twitter.com/8YgQy97w7z
— TPMP (@TPMP) March 18, 2022
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