Impressions from the front line

Normally my day to day work at theunconnected.org is a lot more “high level”, bringing partners together, project management, calculations, team meetings, reporting and all other tasks that is required and important to enable us to work as effectively as possible but these last 2 weeks were different.

When we heard the news that Russia has invaded Ukraine, we quickly understood we need to be there to support and help where we can. The project was up and running in days and we started to reach out to our fantastic supporters and sponsors who really understand the value of connectivity and what we’re trying to achieve. Along with some financial support, we were donated several pallets of continental USB plugs, charging cables, adaptors, MiFi devices, power banks and Romanian SIM cards.

To ensure these supplies reached the border areas soon as possible, theunconnected.org team based in Europe packed their bags and headed for the airport with destination set on the Siret border in Romania.

Despite it being freezing (-10 degree C) the previous week, on our first day on the Siret border in Romania it was sunny and mild. The area was calm with a steady flow of Ukrainian women and children crossing the border. The process to leave Ukraine was taking over 8 hours so when the families arrived on the Romanian side they were tired but also relieved. In the midst of horrible circumstances it was wonderful to see how in such a crisis the world comes together, there were NGOs lined up next to each other offering food, clothes, toys, warmth and there was even a volunteer clown distracting the children.

However, when we stood there with our free connectivity banner the food became secondary for many and our SIM’s, cables, chargers and power banks were an immediate need for the families, anything that would keep their phones functioning people wanted.

The last weeks have left long lasting impressions on me. First we went to the Romanian Ukrainian Border at Siret and then to Berlin in Germany, let me explain.

92% of phones in Ukraine are prepaid and don’t roam so once over the border they don’t function so first a new SIM was required and then power. After waiting over 8 hours in a queue most phones had no battery left.

The first thing people did when getting connected was to start making phone calls. They were calling their loved ones still in Ukraine to see if they were still alive, some answered, others didn’t.

The next day we visited the train station at Suceava, the closest major city to the border crossing in now freezing weather. There was a relief stand there run by an American Ukrainian, Svetlana who had come back from America to help out. The station didn’t have WiFi so we were able to install a WiFi system to help make people's journey a  little easier. The refugees nearly always consisted of women and children, no men as they were left behind to fight and keep the economy going. The children were very well behaved but many were in shock after all they had been through and witnessed. To be able to provide them with connectivity, devices and charges for them to escape the “war” even for a few minutes to watch a cartoon or play a game, warmed our hearts and we could see how much the mums needed that break as well to gather their thoughts and plan for the next steps on their journey.

One mum told us a story how they have had to walk pass areas where Russian soldiers tortured and killed Ukrainian soldiers and they had taken turns shielding the eyes of their youngest to spare them from the horrific views.

We also went to a converted church which now housed around 100 refugees giving them a warm safe place to stay with three meals a day, internet connectivity to allow communication home and to plan the next part of the journey, not many people knew their final destination and were linking up with friends and relatives working out where to go next.

Then we filled up a truck and drove to… Berlin!

We were only able to distribute limited supplies in Romania, we needed a way to distribute more! So we went home and loaded a borrowed van with all of the remaining stock and headed for Berlin, a major transit hub and destination for the refugees. There was a huge tent at the station providing warmth and an area to rest with people on hand to give advice. They were very keen to have our supplies to distribute, even at this stage of their journey many people still needed help getting and staying connected and it was still their number one priority. We visited the bus station where it was the same story. We went to a refugee center where people come each day for supplies and a meal, they wanted our stock. We finished our trip at a center run by local Ukranians where they help people with the German administration, advise them on where to go next and supported the people left behind in Ukraine. The last of our supplies were being taken into Ukraine where they would keep the connections alive at that end.

What we experienced throughout both our trips was the kindness of people, there was a willingness to welcome these strangers into their country, ensure they were fed, had clothes and supplies.

We also saw a slight mismatch of needs, at the border there was stand after stand all offering food, water, clothes and even toys but we found that people want their phones to work. They want to check on loved ones back home, they want to know what was safe, what bus to get on, what support they can get, they want to keep their kids entertained, they want their phones to work.

Right at this moment we are working hard to prepare our team and partnering with more NGOs and raise more donations to be able to support more refugees.

No matter what nationality you have when being forced to flee your home, you deserve support and it is a human right to be connected.

Ben Mansell - COO, theunconnected.org

bmansell@theunconnected.org