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Iryna is a former dancer born in Ukraine, who lives in New Zealand, from where she came to Sibiu to help volunteers that are gathering food, toys, clothes, drugs and other things necessary for refugees at the Zacaria warehouse.
Iryna has decided to stay for the moment in Sibiu, in order to come to the support of Ukrainians running from the war, because she wanted to be involved, to be "part of something, even at a smaller scale."
"It's about hope and a huge desire to help people," she stated.
"This union of people can do many good things. I am here in this volunteering center, where I am trying to help people that I don't know and this makes me feel I am part of the great story of Europe helping Ukraine. I don't know if I can use the appropriate words to explain what I'm feeling, because there are so many emotions mixed at the same time. It's about anger, it's about hope and there is a huge desire to help people. I come from Ukraine, I came here from New Zealand, because I couldn't stand there just waiting and watching the news and not be a part of something, even at a smaller scale. That's why I'm here [e.n. - in Sibiu], a little closer to Ukraine. Certainly here I am closer to Ukraine than I would've been had I stayed in New Zealand. All my family is in New Zealand now," said Iryna.
She is trying to convince her mother, who lives in Ukraine, to leave the country and come to Romania, to save her from the war. The volunteer from New Zealand helps other Ukrainians daily, refugees in Sibiu, with the hope that she will see her mother alive.
"My message is this: We must be strong, we must resist and we will win. Glory to Ukraine!," said Iryna.
Zacaria is the place in Sibiu where there are Romanian, Ukrainian volunteers, Ukrainian refugees, but also Iryna from New Zealand, who came from over 17,000 kilometers away just to give a helping hand to those left without homes, torn from their families and friends remaining in the war zone.
The volunteers of Sibiu in Zacaria admire Iryna, a modest lady, who comes daily for a few hours and helps with anything. All those who know her story hope her mother leaves Ukraine and saves herself, and reaches Sibiu, where there are already officially 1,300 refugees, including 490 children, Agerpres informs.
