Vlada Hervieu has lived in France for only two years after marrying a Cherbourgeois she met in Kiev. As a Ukrainian, learning about this war while being away from her family in Ukraine was very hard. “I cried all the time the first few days,” she says, “Now I don’t peel anymore because it’s useless. I just have to take care of myself.” And her occupation, this young Ukrainian quickly found her. She threw a call for donations on social networks at the beginning of the week and organizes a collection to send aid to civilians on the spot.
A chain of solidarity quickly set up
Vlada works at the Cherbourg ferry terminal for Nolan Transports, an Irish logistics company. When the idea of a humanitarian shipment to Ukraine occurs to her, she asks her employer if she can rent him a truck to transport the harvested goods. “I asked him how much it was going to cost us, we were ready to pay with my husband,” says Vlada. Corn the company wants to participate in the solidarity effort and lends it a truck and a driver to make the transport and its contribution does not stop there: “My colleague called me to tell me that our boss has already done collections in Ireland. He will send half a truck with donations and we will continue to fill the truck with everything we have here.”
“Right here”it’s premises lent by the Eleis shopping center in Cherbourg. Since Thursday, donations are pouring in. Clothes, food, hygiene products, medicines, etc., the tables set up are filling up and the volunteers are putting the food in boxes as they go. “I see that the situation in my country is really affecting,” rejoices Vlada, “I think people really want to do something.”
Cherbourgeois moved and generous in the face of this war
Malory is one of the donors: “I think it makes sense, I would like people to show solidarity with me and with my country if this sort of thing happened to me.” That’s the feeling of everyone in this local right next to the shopping center. The situation also brings back very difficult memories for some. Éric and Jo are very moved because they experienced the exodus in 1940 when it was necessary to flee the German army. “See you on the roads, in the trenches,” remembers Jo with tears in her eyes, “So it’s a really admirable (Ukrainian) people and they have to be helped.” Camille just had a baby a few months ago and the situation upsets her too: “As a young mother, we all feel concerned. It’s awful, these are things that should no longer exist.”
He is possible to make donations until Sunday March 6, 12:30 p.m. in the room decorated with a Ukrainian flag at the Eleis shopping center in Cherbourg.