The scene, of a disturbing peace, appeared to him in the middle of the chaos of the station of Przemysl, in Poland, on Wednesday 2 March. Italian photojournalist Francesco Malavolta witnessed the formation of a stunning row of empty strollers, destined for babies who had fled war in Ukraine with their mothers. “Many women have left everything and abandoned their strollers in the country to travel faster, he tells franceinfo, a week later. Polish women and associations came to bring some to the station, so that they could serve them as soon as they got off the train.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, this station located near the Medyka border crossing has become one of the main gateways for Ukrainian migrants into Poland. “It is connected to the station in Lviv, Ukraine”underlines the 46-year-old photographer, who arrived on the spot 48 hours after the start of the conflict. “A lot of volunteers come to help newcomers there.”
The photo of these seven strollers on a dock has moved people around the world, including American comedian Amy Schumer, “taken by the guts”. “It’s the most beautiful photo of the day”relayed Web userswelcoming an initiative that “warms the heart” and which restores faith in “humanity” in these times of war.
For Francesco Malavolta, this shot testifies as much to the “solidarity” inhabitants, “more quick to react than political leaders”only “drama” refugees.
“This image simply shows reality at the forefront of a worsening humanitarian crisis.”
Francesco Malavolta, freelance photojournalistat franceinfo
On Thursday March 3, a similar photo was taken at the Medyka post by French photographer Jan Schmidt-Whitley. We see there, on a stony ground and under a gray sky, stuffed animals waiting to meet their future owners.
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Francesco Malavolta, a regular contributor to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, says he is struck by “the large number of women, elderly people and children” that he saw coming every day, “while men must stay behind and fight for their country”. If his work shows so many mothers and babies – and sometimes fathers saying goodbye to them –, “It’s not for convenience, to reach people, but because that’s how things are on the pitch”he insists.
A papa mentre greeted the sua famiglia dopo averli portati al sicuro per poi ritornare in Ucraina a combattere.
Photo © Francesco Malavolta #ukraineconflict #Ukraine #WWIII #photojournalism pic.twitter.com/JhFPBRpNIN— Francesco Malavolta (@MalavoltaF) March 5, 2022
Since February 24, Poland says it has welcomed 1.24 million Ukrainians to its territory. Over the first ten days of the conflict, the small town of Przemysl alone received 180,000, or three times the total of the municipal population, according to the mayor. Many migrants then continue their exile to the interior of the country.
The solidarity of part of the Polish population did not stop at the border towns. Three days after the publication of Francesco Malavolta’s photo, a line of empty prams formed in the capital, outside the Warsaw East station, in front of a bus loaded with donations for Ukrainian families.
Na dworcu wschodnim w Warszawie rodziny zostawiają nieużywane już wózki dla matek, które przyjeżdzają z jedną walizką z Ukrainy. Serce rośnie! pic.twitter.com/k2rYoKzCYZ
—Gilbert Kolbe (@GiKolbe) March 6, 2022
In Krakow, the library organized a major pushchair collection at the end of February, inviting future host families for refugees to come and pick them up. “Over 300” of them have already been distributed, enough to start decluttering the corridors, according to management.
In Lodz, a local activist also initiated a collection of baby equipment. “For me, this war has the face of a child”, she describes, quoted by the Polish site The First News (in English). “We must protect these children, starting with infants, who should have car seats to come from the border. They also need beds and strollers.”
As for Francesco Malavolta, he fell ill because of the cold Polish winter and difficult access to a bed and food in this stormed sector. The photographer recently set off for the border between Slovakia and Ukraine, further south. He was able to discover, on Sunday, in Vyšné Nemecké (Slovakia), new empty strollers waiting to find takers.
Dopo la stazione ferroviaria di Przemyśl in Polonia, anche sul confine tra Slovacchia e Ucraina vengono lasciati passaggini per quelle mamme costrette a scappare dall’Ucraina con i loro neonati. Copyright foto e testo Francesco Malavolta#ukraineconflict #Ukraine #WWIII #slovakia pic.twitter.com/w5HfDbYGvd
— Francesco Malavolta (@MalavoltaF) March 7, 2022