Andrea Malysh is doing her best to wade through a swamp of red tape to help those impacted by war on the other side of the world.
The Vernon woman is laying the groundwork to bring Ukrainian refugees to the North Okanagan.
Malysh, a local leader among the Ukrainian community, has been working tirelessly since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
She has been meeting with provincial officials weekly, as well as being in constant contact with local immigration agencies.
“Where we're frustrated as a Ukrainian community in the province is that there is no assistance to bring them in on sight,” she said. “So any refugee wanting to come to Canada has to make their own way.”
She is pushing for free passage to Canada for those fleeing the war.
Malysh says refugees have been given free passage to several countries, including England, and while she acknowledges Canada is a long way from Ukraine, and refugees might not even want to come to B.C. because of the distance, the community needs to be ready.
“How do we get them here if they want to come here?” she asks.
“Most of them will want to stay close to home, but I think the government has announced they have received 20,000 applications, and I think we are expecting, at some point, several thousand into British Columbia.”
With the housing crisis in the province, Malysh wonders where refugees will live.
“We are just trying to figure all that out as a community and trying to figure out programs that can help these people,” she said.
Many will not speak English and most will arrive with barely more than the clothes on their back.
Locally, support for the embattled nation remains strong.
“There are wonderful people who are contacting me and wanting to provide housing,” said Malysh, who also runs a Ukrainian dance troupe that raised $15,000 for humanitarian aid.
While local programs for refugees are being organized, Malysh says the fastest way to help is by donating to humanitarian organizations.
An information database on how to help locally is being put together.
In the meantime, Malysh says people can go to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress website to learn how they can help. Email Malysh at [email protected] or call 250-309-6948.
