Scouts aiding Ukrainians

[RememberSchiff]

I have read accounts of scouts collecting clothing and food. Please post more.

 

https://www.lincolnshireworld.com/news/scouts-organise-collection-for-ukraine-3597126

Members of the Polish community in Munster, many with links to the Irish scouting movement, hope to dispatch over a dozen carloads of sleeping bags, thermal blankets, hot food flasks, and medical and sanitary supplies from a warehouse at the Ballycurreen Industrial Estate in Cork to Gorajec on the Poland/Ukraine border, where thousands of refugees have crossed from the Ukrainian city of Lviv since the Russian invasion began last week.

Mia Skowron, the secretary of the MyCork Polish Association, and chief scout of Polish Scouting, said for Ireland’s Polish community the humanitarian effort is deeply personal.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40818597.html

UK’s National Polish Scouts Association (ZHP) has put out a list of items they need.

Already donations of clothing have been vast, so they are now asking people to concentrate on items that can be used for children and babies, and wounded civilians. These include blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, tents, backpacks, thermos flasks, flashlights, prams and child seats, children’s clothing, painkillers, tourniquets, diapers, sanitary napkins, toilet paper, cleaning products, mineral water (small bottles), dry food, and formula milk.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/perthshires-polish-rally-collect-ukraine-26354418

Helping others at all times,

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[Wëlënakwsu]

More info...

https://www.scout.org/Ongoing-Scouts-Emergency-Response-in-Ukraine

https://www.scout.org/WOSM-statement-Ukraine

https://ukrscout.org/

1970 or '71, we named our summer camp provisional patrol "The Ukrainians"... I have  no memory of why.  At the time in our area we still had a few Scouts in exile groups; Latvians, Hungarians, etc.  My words are inadequate, I - like many - assumed those days of Europe's wars were over... I dearly hope this war does not 'spread'.

 

 

[RememberSchiff]

23 minutes ago, Wëlënakwsu said:

More info...

https://www.scout.org/Ongoing-Scouts-Emergency-Response-in-Ukraine

https://www.scout.org/WOSM-statement-Ukraine

https://ukrscout.org/

1970 or '71, we named our summer camp provisional patrol "The Ukrainians"... I have  no memory of why.  At the time in our area we still had a few Scouts in exile groups; Latvians, Hungarians, etc.  My words are inadequate, I - like many - assumed those days of Europe's wars were over... I dearly hope this war does not 'spread'.

 

 

Those links are very informative. Thank you.

~ RS

[RememberSchiff]

 

 

[RememberSchiff]

During the pandemic, IMHO the most relevant merit badge became Public Health. Now with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I would  add Citizenship in the World.

From requirements:

3. Do the following:
a. Pick a current world event. In relation to this current event, discuss with your counselor how a country’s national interest, history, and its relationship with other countries might affect areas such as its security, its economy, its values, and the health of its citizens.

b. Select a foreign country and discuss with your counselor how its geography, natural resources, and climate influence its economy and its global partnerships with other countries.

 

4. Do TWO of the following:

a. Explain international law and how it differs from national law. Explain the role of international law and how international law can be used as a tool for conflict resolution.

 

My $0.02,

Edited March 7, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[MattR]

I hope the Russians don't see that. They seem to have their own logistics problems.

[RememberSchiff]

SCOUTS SUPPORT REFUGEES AND FAMILIES FLEEING UKRAINE ACROSS BORDERS

"My Scouting service for past few days has taken on a different dimension. I feel that I am doing what I should be doing - it's such an inner urge to act and help as much as I can!” said Albin, a young Scout volunteering with Polish Scouting and Guiding Association (ZHP) in the bordering areas. 

https://www.scout.org/fr/node/643051

Edited March 21, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[RememberSchiff]

The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization compiled emergency medical kits. Supplies include Band-Aids, gauze, Tylenol, latex gloves, duct tape and other basic goods. The kits will go to an organization in New Jersey, to be mailed to Western Ukraine. Then, scouts in Ukraine will receive the kits and distribute them across the country.

...the scouts ended the day packing between 1,000 to 1,500 kits to be shipped to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian girl and boy scouts will be back next weekend and encourage more people to participate.

More at sources:

https://www.mymcmedia.org/ukrainian-girl-and-boy-scouts-make-emergency-medical-kits-in-bethesda/

https://www.localdvm.com/news/maryland/ukrainian-boy-and-girl-scouts-pack-medical-kits/

Edited March 20, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[RememberSchiff]

Good article in WP

“It’s sad that we have to make these,” she said. “But this could make a difference, if we get all these boxes out to Ukraine.”

The kits were designed by Dan Olesnicky, a trauma surgeon who is a Ukrainian scout, and many Plast chapters have been filling boxes with them in recent weeks, shipping them overseas to Plast Ukraine along with other aid.

On Saturday, the Bethesda school cafeteria echoed with the sound of mothers calling to their children in Ukrainian, the buzz of vacuum-sealers closing the filled bags, and the screech of duct tape being pulled and torn. Some tape was used to seal filled boxes of first-aid kits, some was wrapped around small pieces of cardboard to add to the bags to help craft a makeshift splint or stretcher, or other emergency medical aid on the ground....

More at source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/03/19/ukrainian-scouts-first-aid-kits/

[RememberSchiff]

May 4, 2022, New Jersey:

Seventy-five youths from the Plast Ukrainian Scout Organization and Scout troops from Parsippany (NJ) packaged hundreds of first-aid kits for shipment to war-torn Ukraine.

Many Plast Scouts have family in Ukraine, and they emphasized the necessity of such aid as the Russian invasion continues for a third bloody month.

In Ukrainian, a plastun refers to a Cossack scout, or sentry. Ukrainian Scouts refer to themselves as Plast Scouts.

The Soviet Union banned the organization. Ukrainians who fled their homeland after World War II took Plast with them. It grew roots in Australia, Argentina, Canada, Great Britain, Germany and the United States. The organization combines Scouting with Ukrainian traditions.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Plast USA began providing support to Ukraine.

Plast Ukraine requested 500,000 personal first aid kits (PFAKs), with disposable gloves, bandages, gauze, and other basic medical supplies. Some 40,000 of these kits have been completed by Plast Scouts thus far.

...more at source

https://morristowngreen.com/2022/05/05/scouts-from-varied-cultures-join-forces-in-whippany-to-help-ukraine/

[RememberSchiff]

From UNICEF Europe and Central Asian Report , Ukraine Situation: Refugee Response from Neighboring Countries, 24 Aug - 6 Sep 2022

Excerpts pertaining to Scouts

During the reporting period:

15,919 Ukrainians (13,225 children) were supported by Scouts in 9 countries

UNICEF is working closely with UNHCR, other UN Agencies, and humanitarian partners to scale up its multi-sectoral response. In Europe and Central Asia, UNICEF is leveraging partnerships established through longstanding country programmes, relationships with governments, and a strong network of National Committees. UNICEF continues to work with national governments, expand its close relationships with municipal authorities, partner with Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and develop new multi-country relationships with key networks, like the World Organization of the Scouts Movement (WOSM), covering Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia as well as Ukraine.

 Adolescent Development and Participation
• Through the regional partnership with the World Organization of the Scout Movement, UNICEF continued engaging with young people as partners in Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia). In the reporting period, Scouts supported 15,919 Ukrainian individuals (13,225 children and young people, 6,702 girls), including over 1,158 Ukrainian young people through the Scouting's Educational Methods. Over summer, 22,469 children (8,183 Ukrainian) were also engaged. The Scout’s promote their work through their social media platforms, particularly Facebook, reaching 103,084 people during the reporting period. To date, the Scouts have supported over 700 000 Ukrainians across the nine project countries, over 10,000 young scouts have been acted as volunteers supporting efforts including running Blue Dots, promoting UReport, teaching skills in summer camps, distributing information and supplies and building bridges of understanding and solidarity between refugee and host country communities, while their reach through social media is estimated at 1.2 million people. More information is available here UNICEF Youth in Europe Bulletin. (see page 2, "Approximately 2500 scouts from hosting countries have been engaged as volunteers.")

Scout Salute,

Source links:

https://reliefweb.int/attachments/012f1578-7026-4bfd-8590-1c21de660efb/UNICEF ECAR Humanitarian Situation Report No. 16 (Refugee Response) - 24 August-06 September 2022.pdf

https://reliefweb.int/report/poland/unicef-ecaro-humanitarian-situation-report-ukraine-refugee-response-no-16-24-august-06-september-2022

[RememberSchiff]

One Year On: Scouts Continue to Support Ukrainians Displaced by War

https://www.scout.org/news/one-year-scouts-continue-support-ukrainians-displaced

 

[RememberSchiff]

"Raluca Popa, serving as the Peace Education Team lead for the European Scout Region, brings a wealth of experience and passion to her role. Her journey started in Romania with a simple curiosity that blossomed into a profound understanding of the Movement's broader impact through her active participation in jamborees and various projects. 

However, he onset of the full-scale war in Ukraine ignited her interest in human rights. Stepping into action, she coordinated first responders at the Romania-Ukraine border, showcasing her dedication to humanitarian efforts. This pivotal moment propelled her into the role of Programme Officer for the initiative in collaboration with UNICEF, known as UAct: Scouts in Response for Ukraine. Through this partnership, Raluca and the team actively engaged in empowering Scouts to develop essential competencies and foster approaches aimed at promoting social cohesion and inclusion amidst challenging circumstances. Her commitment to fostering peace and unity stands as a testament to the transformative power of scouting on both a local and international scale.

…

Through scouting, we shape future adults who are exposed to many realities and educational contexts. This equips them with critical thinking, dialogue skills, openness to learn more about the world, and to lead with empathy, no matter what their role will be in the future: a team leader, a mayor, a CEO, or a nice fellow in the neighbourhood.

This is the power of Scouting; we are raising generations of future leaders for our society who lead with empathy and commitment. "

More of her interview:

https://www.scout.org/news/we-find-out-how-many-things-unite-us-and-how-similar

Edited March 18 by RememberSchiff
forgot quotes

[RememberSchiff]

ABC News:  Children who fled Russian invasion find community in Ukrainian scouting organization in Canada

https://abcnews.go.com/International/children-fled-russian-invasion-find-community-ukrainian-scouting/story?id=111568550