The white van can’t really top 115 kilometers per hour. The man behind the wheel doesn’t seem rushed or tired. But he drove all night.
Renaud Duquesnoy, 36, is on a mission. He transports kilos of non-perishable food and medical equipment to the Ukrainian border.
The day before, he left Lille, France, with some energy drinks and another companion driving ahead of him, his van also full. In all, more than 1600 kilometers of highways.
: “well, there, we have to go”.”,”text”:”An image touched me on TV with this child who crossed the border alone, with his mother’s number on the arms. And I said: “well, there, we have to go”.”}}”>An image touched me on TV with this child who crossed the border alone, with his mother’s number on his arm. And I said: “well, there, we have to go”.
In a few days, he and Valentin Serpaud raised funds and enough material donations to fill the two vans. In a few hours, they will be at their destination.
Once empty, the vehicles will be able to accommodate a dozen Ukrainians wishing to travel to France and stay with the drivers’ families.
For the time it takes
, says Renaud Duquesnoy. He wants give them a little warmth in this world a little bully
.
An offer made by hand on the heart, he who knows nothing of his future guests, does not speak their language or even English.
With the hands, we know how to make ourselves understood. I think it will be simple. And I have three children. And the children among themselves will know how to understand each other. It can only go! I don’t see why it wouldn’t.
He claims to have chills just imagining the moment when he will hand over the keys to his house to complete strangers. A gesture of trust. An outstretched hand as he would have liked to extend it before.
It’s not the first war, lots of things are happening, in Iraq, in other countries. For me, it was unreachable. There, I can take my car and go there. So here I go!
A (a little more) organized chaos
The medical equipment was quickly unloaded at a depot run by the Polish army in Medyka. Renaud Duquesnoy was eager to be at the border, where his contacts directed him.
The line between Poland and Ukraine is hard to see, so many people are around. The Ukrainians, of course, but also hundreds of volunteers, policemen, employees of theHIM-HER-IT.
A host of foreign organizations have set up along the passage through which the Ukrainians pass. There are Sikhs, Israelis, Americans and many Europeans.
Under a tent where a Breton flag floats, Renaud Duquesnoy finds his contact, Lilian Boulard, a volunteer who has come to offer food to babies.
Renaud Duquesnoy, on one of the Polish highways leading to the border with Ukraine.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Yanik Dumont Baron
No more question of inviting Ukrainians to get into the van as has been done until recently. The procedure is now stricter: you must first register in a center, a few kilometers from here.
The responsibles have a list
explains Lilian Boulard. They will call [les intéressés] and match your passports. In the beginning, there was a lot of human trafficking. They are very serious.
At the registration center too, it’s a bit of chaos. People run, exchanges are made in several languages. A smell of grilled meat hangs in the air. A mime tries to distract the children.
In this cosmopolitan crowd, we find the Canadian Dr. Barone, who usually works as a hockey referee. He also offers his chauffeur services.
For the young Canadian, it is a tribute to all the foreigners who, at the time, helped his grandparents flee the communist regime of Tito in Yugoslavia.
years later to have the life I have in North America. There are 3million refugees, sure I can fill a van with 9people once or twice a day.”,”text”:”They gave me the opportunity, 50 years later, to have the life I have in North America. There are 3million refugees, sure I can fill a van with 9 people once or twice a day.”}}”>They gave me the opportunity, 50 years later, to have the life I have in North America. There are 3 million refugees, sure I can fill a van with 9 people once or twice a day.
Canadian Dr Barone, at the Polish-Ukrainian border. In one week, he brought about twenty Ukrainians to their destination. His efforts are supported by citizens in Canada and the United States.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Yanik Dumont Baron
In one week, Dr. Barone transported around twenty Ukrainians, including two women with two young children who were unsure how to reach their loved ones in Warsaw.
It is an extremely difficult situation. Those who do full-time humanitarian work say they’ve never seen anything like it. Never, never, never. Three weeks ago, all those people had lives!
Completely useless
The sun is setting on the recording center. In small groups, Ukrainians get into taxis, vans. Others take buses to other European countries.
A ballet that seems endless. Among the displaced people registered that day, almost no one wanted to go to France. This is confirmed by Alex Derouineau, responsible for managing departures to France.
It’s a bit of a coincidence of migration, he explains to his two compatriots from Lille. And the fact that the flow of displaced people is less important than a week ago.
Data from the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees shows this clearly. These days, half as many people leave Ukraine every day as a week ago. Daily, it is even almost three times less than two weeks ago.
Alex Derouineau admits that, under current conditions, it’s complicated to have a very orderly and efficient organization
. Then he adds, encouragingly: It’s incredible. Really useful
to bring medical equipment to the border.
Citizen solidarity has been created around Ukrainian refugees
Photo : Radio-Canada / Yanik Dumont Baron
A slim consolation prize for Renaud Duquesnoy and Valentin Serpaud. They’ve been on the road for 24 hours, they haven’t really slept since leaving Lille.
places available, and we’re leaving at two! We’re not helping anyone!”,”text”:”We come with two vehicles, we have 12 places available, and we leave with two! We’re not helping anyone!”}}”>We come with two vehicles, we have 12 places available, and we leave with two! We’re not helping anyone!
He assures to feel completely useless
when so many people seem to need help.
Renaud Duquesnoy is not sure how to explain the situation to his wife, who was preparing the beds for the guests at the same time. After a few moments of reflection, the two companions decide to return.
Transporting medical equipment, explains Renaud Duquesnoy, Everyone can do it. But to house the displaced, there are far fewer volunteers. And that is the most important for me
.
Same thing for Valentin Serpaud. Despite the miles, hours and euros invested in the trip, the doors of their respective homes remain open to Ukrainians.