‘Sea of sorrow’: UNICEF spokesperson describes what refugee crisis is like in Ukraine
Updated: 5:32 AM EST Mar 6, 2022
JENNIFER: IN JUST ONE WEEK, 500,000 CHILDREN HAVE HAD THREI LIVES TORN APART, FOREST TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AS RUSSIA INVADES UKRAE.IN THE TERR OF ORWAR, TAKING ITS TOLL AS MILLIONS OF FAMILIES RISK GETTING CAUGHT IN THE VIOLEN.CE RHONDELLA: JOINING US LIVE FMRO UKRAINE’S BORDER NEAR POLAND IS JAMES ELDER, A UNICEF SPOKESPERSON. JAMES, IT IS CHILLING FROM THIS DISTANCE JT HUSEARING ABOUT IT. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN UKRAINE? MATT: YOUR IMAGES ARE STPO ON — JAMES: YOUR IMAGES ARE SPOT ON. IT IS A SEA OF SADNESS. I WAS JUST ON THE BORDER, IN UKRAINE, I WENT INTO POLAND, AND SEEING GRANDMOTHERS WALKING ALONG. THEY HAD BEEN INGOG FIVE TO SIX MILES WITH TRAMS. PICKING UP 10 AND 11’S BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GO FURTHER. THEY MADE IT THIS FAR. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIESHO W CANTNO LEAVE, CURRENTLY IN BOMBARDMENTS AND BUNRSKE, ARE TERRIFIED AND VERY MUCH IN THE LINE OF FIRE AS THIS CONFLICT CONTINUES. JENNIFER: IT ISO SAWFUL. UNICEF HAS A CONVOY OF TRUCKS HEADED IN TODAY. HOW ARE YOU GETTING THOSE MUCH-NEEDED SUPPLIES SAFELY AT THIS POINT? JAMES: YEAH. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED WE DO BECAUSE AS I SAY, I HAVE SPOKEN TO DOCTORS AND THEY ARE IN GREAT NEED. WE’ HVEEARD AVENGERS — HEARD OF INJURIES OF CHILDREN. WE HAVE 4500 TONS OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SURGICAL EQUIPMENT, RESUSCITATION, ALL COMING ACROSS THIS THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. WE WILL GET INTO LEVINE, UNPACK IT, AND SEND IT TO ABOUT 100 HOSPITALS. WE ARE GETTING GREAT SUPPORT FROM THE BORDER PEOPLE WHICH MAKES A DIFFERENCE. UNICEFS I LUCKY OUR SUPPLY IN COPENHAGENN I DENMARK, NOT SO FAR FROM HERE. RHONDELLA: ABC IS REPORNGTI MOMS, CIVILIANS ARE NOW BEING TRAINED TO STOP BLEEDING AND CARE FOR SOME OF THE WOUNDED. YOU WENT TO THE HOSPITAL THIS WEEK. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SAW THERE. JAMES: YEAH. I DID. IT WAS PRETTY HARROWING. THERE ARE BABIES IN INCUBATORS, BOYS AND GIRLS ON DRIPS. THEY CANNOT LEAVE OR IITS VERY DANGEROUS TO LEAVE. THE IMAGE YOU SEE THERE NOW, THE LADY WITH HER TWO-MONTH-OLD EMMA, SHE IS A NEWBORN AND SHE IS A NEW MOM. SHE SHOULD BE AT HOME MAY BE GETTING METI OFF WITH THE GRANDPARENTS SO SHE CAN CATCH UP TO A LITTLE MORE EESLP. INSTEAD, SHE HAS BEEN IN A BUNKER AND SHE IS TERRIFIED. SHE SAID SIMPLY I JUST WANT MY DAUGHTER TO SURVIVE, IAN WT MY DAUGHTER TO KNOW HER MOM AND DAD. THESE ARE THE WISHES PARENTS OF UKRAINE ARE HAVING TO MAKE NOW. JENNIFER: PEOPLE BACK AT HOME WANT TO HELP. WE ARE WONDERING HOW CAN PEOEPL HERE HELP PEOPLE IN UKRAINE? >> MANY ORGANIZATIONS, UNICEF IS OF COURSE ONE, ONHE T GROUND HERE WHERE I AM IN WESTERN UKRAINE OR MANY BORDER AREAS. UNICEFSA UOT G ALL THROUGH IMMENSE WORK AND MOMS DAN DADS AND THE AREA CAN DO. WE WILL MAKE SURE GETTOS THE PEOPLE YOU SEE ON YOUR PROGRAM. ANGSTO T ANY SUPPORT — THANKS TO ANYONE SUPPORT ANYONE CAN GIVE. JENNIFER: WHAT’S ETH NUMBER ONE NEED YOU ARE FINDING THESE FAMILIES NEED? JAMES: MOST FAMILIES LEAVING POSSIBLY FOR THIS REPORT, YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT HAVE SLEPT IN BUNKERS, SCHOOLS OUT, THERE IS NO LEARNING THE LESSONS AND AN AIR RAID SIREN MEANS YOU MUST FLEE FROM YOUR BED AND HEAD TO A BUNKER. WE DID A LOT OF AUTRMA SUPPORT. THEY NEED FOOD AND BLANTSKE AND ETH NUMBER ONE SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN STILL HERE IN UKRAINE IS OF CRSOUE FOR THE MISSILES AND BOMBING TO STOP. THEY NEED IT TO BE SAFE. RHONDELLA: ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU STAY SAFE TOO. THANK YOU, JAMES ELDER, A UNICEF SPOKESMAN IN UKRAINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO AND FOR JOINING US THIS MORN
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‘Sea of sorrow’: UNICEF spokesperson describes what refugee crisis is like in Ukraine
Updated: 5:32 AM EST Mar 6, 2022
In just one week, half a million children have been forced to flee their homes as a result of Russia invading Ukraine.Sister station WCVB spoke to UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who is in Ukraine. He described the situation as a “sea of sadness.”Watch the video above to learn more about the crisis in Ukraine.You can help UNICEF deliver aid to hundreds of thousands of children in eastern Ukraine impacted by violence — and to hundreds of thousands more as UNICEF races to meet increasingly urgent needs across the country.Click here to donate to UNICEF.
In just one week, half a million children have been forced to flee their homes as a result of Russia invading Ukraine.
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Sister station WCVB spoke to UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who is in Ukraine. He described the situation as a “sea of sadness.”
Watch the video above to learn more about the crisis in Ukraine.
You can help UNICEF deliver aid to hundreds of thousands of children in eastern Ukraine impacted by violence — and to hundreds of thousands more as UNICEF races to meet increasingly urgent needs across the country.
