CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused a refugee crisis for civilians caught in the middle of the conflict. A Charlotte woman is among those on the frontlines helping people in need.
Iryna Amiramova lives in Charlotte but was born in Ukraine. She is a registered ER nurse and is part of a five-person volunteer group helping a refugee camp in Poland. She said the camp is 16 minutes away from the Ukrainian border.
The team is made up of three nurses and two medics, according to Amiramova.
More than 2.1 million refugees have left Ukraine since Feb. 24, according to The UN Refugee Agency. As of March 8, the agency reported nearly 1.3 million of the refugees have left for Poland.
"The amount of people going through everyday is humongous," Amiramova told WCNC Charlotte from the Polish camp on Wednesday, March 9. "We couldn't have imagined it would be so many people. This is just one of a lot of refugee camps."
The group is working 24-hour shifts as refugees continue to flock to the center. Amiramova said they've received support from people across Europe and their primary goal is to help refugees who left in a rush and are without necessities.
"We're trying to get as much medication as we can," she explained. "The most important for us is insulin. Today, I had a patient who has type 1 diabetes. She told me she had insulin for a couple of days, but nothing else."
Amiramova's group is also working with people experiencing medical issues due to the strain of walking near the border.
"The majority are coming in for things like a sore throat," she said. "People are staying at a border and walking for about 12 hours. We have cough syrups, nasal sprays and vitamins to help keep them up."
The camp Amiramova's team is stationed at is used as type of "rest and refuel" center for refugees, she explained.
"People are sleeping on floors, they're sitting and sleeping," she added. "People are staying here between 16 to 24 hours. Buses are waiting at the border, so they come here to sleep and eat, then go somewhere else."
After their stay at the camp, refugees will then head to different areas, either into another part of Poland or different countries like Germany, Ireland, Portugal or Spain, according to Amiramova.
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The team is independent and not affiliated with any agency, so all supplies that are being distributed by the team are paid for by members. Amiramova said the camp the team is at is opened 24 hours. While the goal is to have team members switch during shifts, it does get overwhelming at times.
"We're open 24 hours, so we try to switch," she said. "Sometimes we'll sleep for a couple of hours, but then we'll need to get up because an emergency happened and it needs all of us. I just ate for the first time in the last 20 hours and I slept for five hours."
The group is expected to be in Poland for at least the next couple of weeks. They're expected to leave around March 26.
While they remain at the camp, people can provide monetary support to help cover the costs of medical supplies and other necessities for refugees.
Anyone wanting to contribute can use the Venmo QR code below:
Amiramova is just one of the many North Carolinians offering a helping hand for refugees leaving Ukraine. NC Baptists on Mission, based in Cary, currently has two teams, one in Poland and another in Hungary, assessing the refugee crisis.
You can follow updates from the group by visiting the Baptists on Mission Disaster Relief Ministry Facebook page.
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