Claudine Charieyras, president of the association Accueil Familles du Monde, explained on Monday July 25 on franceinfo that some families who host displaced Ukrainians “are really in pain”. Since the start of the war in Ukraine five months ago, more than 5.5 million Ukrainians have fled their country for Europe, including 100,000 in France. The government announced in early July financial aid of 150 to 200 euros to support French families. “We are waiting impatiently”because the families “did not receive any help”she said.
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franceinfo: Is this very important help for host families?
Claudine Charieyras: We are all waiting impatiently because we are seeing the arrival of winter and the rental charges which will be quite substantial for the volunteer families who, until now, have had no financial assistance to accommodate the families. In Pompadour (Corrèze), we have 44 people who are housed in volunteer families and who, to date, have not received any help whatsoever, either from the State or from local authorities.
Is it more difficult today to find host families?
It is very, very complicated to find host families. Volunteering has its limits. When you stay at home, either at home or in a small accommodation next door. We really want to do it for a month, two months, three months, but we don’t see a way out and we say to ourselves that we won’t be able to support all these expenses financially, since the people are not necessarily people who have sufficient means. And then, it’s also an emotional charge. At the moment, we are working on the education of the children, on the search for permanent housing, on work. Associations do it. It’s volunteering for humans. It is not volunteering to do a sporting or cultural activity. It is very emotional for both the displaced Ukrainians and the members of the association.
“I have families who are really in pain because they don’t feel they are being helped enough.”
Claudine Charieyras, president of the association Accueil Familles du Mondeat franceinfo
The families would have wanted a deadline?
We know very well that we cannot ask for a date like when we move into a home and when we leave it, but to have a little more vision, even over the very long term. There, there is no vision and that is very complicated for the hosting families. In addition, we are in the countryside, there are travel costs when we want to go shopping, go to the doctor, to school or to administrative appointments. These are very, very high financial burdens for families.