Hi there! 

My name is Mikalai and I am the creator of the Pashtouki project. 

Like many people who couldn’t just stand by and watch, I felt a deep urge to do whatever I could to help refugees from Ukraine. In early April, I packed my things and arrived in Przemysl after hearing about an organization called Partyzanka that needed volunteers.

Przemysl, this small Polish city just 12 km away near the Ukrainian border, had become an epicenter of activity. There were three key spots where help was needed: the railway station, Tesco, an old supermarket repurposed into a refugee support center, and Medyka, the busiest pedestrian border crossing between Ukraine and Poland. Volunteers from Partyzanka were stationed primarily at Medyka, where thousands of people crossed every day.

Medyka: A Place of Chaos and Care.

Although there were plenty of volunteers, only about 5% of them spoke Ukrainian or Russian. Imagine arriving in a new country, exhausted, carrying only fragments of your life and receiving instructions in a language you couldn’t understand. That’s where we stepped in.

We were there to guide, explain, and simply ensure peopleknow they could approach us. Day and night, for seven months, from when to when, we stood at the border providing crucial information. With loudspeakers in hand, we’d announce where buses were headed, what resources were available, and what the next steps would be. 

Beyond the Border: Helping Refugees Find Safety

While in Przemysl, I also helped people to plan their journey from Ukraine to safe countries. I listened to their stories, understood their needs, tried to figure out the best routes and found places where they could move to. Based on my volunteering experience, I decided to organize a postcard exhibition featuring cards sent to me by people I helped to evacuate.

I would like you to look at these postcards: it’s not just an exhibition: it’s a conversation, a moment to reflect on what it means to help, to survive, and to find hope. 

Enjoy!