Creating a Safety Net for Ukrainian Refugees

On the 24th of February 2022, Ukrainians awoke to a new reality. As millions of lives were savagely interrupted, the Maltese community rallied to gather emergency support for their fellow Europeans. Now, Olga Finkel and Angelo Dalli are encouraging Malta’s business community to think long-term through ‘Enterprise4Peace’.

BY CARLA ZAHRA

When Olga Finkel, member of The Malta Chamber and founder of Malta-based law firm WH Partners, last visited her hometown of Kharkiv in Eastern Ukraine last November, she didn’t know that it would become a war zone less than three months later. Having moved to Malta in 1989 with her young daughter, Olga has earned a reputation as a highly-respected lawyer in the fields of gaming and technology. But her professional networks have now turned personal, as people began reaching out to find out how they can support Ukraine. By the end of February, the reception area of the office building she shares with her partner, IT and software entrepreneur and a member of The Malta Chamber Angelo Dalli, was filled with bags of donations. As two business-minded people, Angelo and Olga instantly shifted their focus to coordinate support efforts for Ukraine. “I was quite surprised at how quickly the Maltese community volunteered to help us,” says Angelo, who, together with Olga, took on the role of organising the financing, donations and logistics needed to transport supplies to Ukraine. “People who know Olga reached out to get involved and, through social media, we were able to create a network of people who could help in gathering and delivering supplies,” says Angelo. “Everyone wanted to help, from hospitals, to the Archbishop, to cargo companies, to the Migrants’ Commission and the CEO of Malta International Airport,” says Angelo. One important aspect of this was the Facebook group ‘Ukrainians in Malta’, where he and Olga share clear guidance on the paperwork required by refugees to navigate the COVID-19 travel restrictions – currently still in place – and acquire temporary protection status upon their arrival. After being put in contact with people volunteering their help, the supplies were successfully sent to Ukraine through companies such as Hans Jet and AirX. On the ground, religious organisations and charities with links to bases near the Ukrainian borders like SOS Malta and the Salesian Brothers organised a safe route to deliver these items. “The Malta Chamber launched an appeal to provide bedding to Ukrainian refugees who were arriving in Poland, through the Polish Government. Two 40-foot containers containing over 200 mattresses and bed bases, and over 500 pillows were sent over. Cash donations will go towards supporting the integration of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Malta,” Angelo explains. Meanwhile, Olga was struggling to find a way to help her family to safety as telecommunication and electricity channels were severed by Russian forces. By mid-March, Olga’s niece and her family made it to Malta after travelling from Eastern Ukraine to Western Ukraine and into Slovakia. Olga’s sister, however, remains in Slovakia to be closer to her grandson who, having turned 20 as the first bombs fell, was unable to leave Ukraine. “He woke up joking that the blasts were celebrating his birthday,” says Olga. “Despite the horrors that we are experiencing, my great-nephew still held on to his sense of humour.” “In Ukraine, we have the saying ‘Hope dies last’,” she says, referencing a popular proverb in Eastern Ukraine that ironically originates from Russia. “Yes, we speak Russian, but we don’t support Putin’s war,” she asserts. With no clear end in sight, it is impossible to predict what the long-term impact of the war will be. This is why Olga, through WH Partners, is working on setting up a new initiative, spearheaded by FFF Legal and ARQ Group. ‘Enterprise4Peace’ will collate lists of companies that are willing to help Ukrainians in the long-term by providing employment for refugees. “The idea is that local companies can help Ukrainians regain their dignity and peace, while also benefitting from the skills and expertise that refugees have to offer,” she explains. “We are asking these companies to be more understanding of the refugees’ situation, by providing extra training where needed, support in learning English, assistance with accommodation, healthcare and even childcare for those mothers who have fled their homes with their children while their husbands stayed behind to fight.

“The idea is that local companies can help Ukrainians regain their dignity and peace, while also benefitting from the skills and expertise that refugees have to offer”

Olga Finkel

“On a positive note, the talent shortage that Malta has experienced due to COVID-19 can now be filled by skilled Ukrainians. We need companies to accept the fact that such employment opportunities may be temporary, as Ukrainians may not settle in Malta for the longterm, but choose to support these workers anyway out of goodwill,” says Olga. Further to this, Olga and Angelo describe the red tape involved in granting temporary protection status as “unnecessarily complex” and emphasise the need for local institutions to be more lenient with refugees. “People who were away on business trips or on holiday left before the war broke out, so now they won’t be granted protection,” says Olga. Local banks can also help by simplifying the process of sending money overseas so that Ukrainian nationals can transfer funds to their families. On an individual level, locals can donate clothes, food and toys to refugees in Malta. Hotels have already opened their doors to those in need, English schools have offered free lessons and the Honorary Consulate of Ukraine has been very active in collecting donations and gathering volunteers. “Even attending protests to show that Malta supports Ukraine makes a difference. It may not change the outcome of the war, but it lets Ukraine know that they are not alone,” says Angelo. Although we do not yet have a full picture of what consequences this war will have on the future of Europe and beyond, it is expected that shortages in staple foods such as sunflower oil and wheat, as well as raw materials such as wood, will have a knock-on effect in the global food chain for years to come. Reflecting on the show of solidarity that he has experienced throughout recent weeks, Angelo says: “I think that Maltese people saw the unfairness of the situation and wanted to help. The Ukrainian government has also been effective in spreading awareness of the reality of war through social media.” To this, Olga adds: “We’ve realised that this could have happened to any of us. The history of Malta makes it really relatable. Through the years that I’ve lived in Malta, I’ve always known that the community has a big heart – but now it is blue and yellow. We’re here to show that Malta supports Ukraine, not just in thought, but through action.” To support Ukrainian refugees, donations can also be made to the UNHCR, UNFPA, Share The Meal, the National Bank of Ukraine and the International Rescue Committee. n