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Knights in Poland partner with local organizations to create education and employment opportunities for Ukrainian refugee women and children
More than 1,000 days since Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 10 Ukrainian cities have been left in rubble, as more than 10 million people have been displaced or have fled the country.
Poland, Ukraine’s neighbor to the west, has registered more than 980,000 Ukrainian refugees, according to October 2024 data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Across Poland, Knights of Columbus councils have provided the refugees with aid upon arrival as well as long-term assistance crucial for Ukrainian refugees rebuilding their lives in a new country.
Many refugees — particularly the women and children — face economic insecurity amid such adjustment. Most often, Ukrainian refugees in Poland have taken on physically demanding jobs, mostly in hospitality, production, or food service sectors.
To support those in greatest need, Polish Knights have partnered with local organizations to offer daycare centers, career workshops and language programs.
A number of Catholic parishes, in collaboration with K of C councils, have also established Mercy Centers that offer material aid and many other forms of assistance to help refugees build a stable and self-reliant life.
“We know very well that we often have various problems ourselves, and that’s why, as Knights, we carry this material aid,” said District Deputy Jan Grądzki, past grand knight of Holy Family Council 14002 in Łomianki, neighboring Warsaw. “I am glad that there are associations we can support, which also help them learn how to function here in our country and organize their life and work.”
BUILDING BRIDGES
In December 2022, the Knights of Columbus partnered with the Arise Foundation, which combats human trafficking, to support the Pontes Association, an organization dedicated to creating a safe space for refugee women, offering vocational training and mentoring.
Many Ukrainian refugees in Poland encounter poor working conditions, low wages and the absence of formal contracts, explained Natalia Wróblewska, strategy manager in Pontes. Refugees are always at risk for being treated poorly and being exploited for their labor. These jobs are extremely exhausting, especially for mothers and middle-aged women who also face financial pressure and mental stress.
And while it’s possible for refugee women to quickly establish businesses to employ Ukrainians in Poland, Wróblewska explained, “this doesn’t promote integration — it fosters social polarization.”
In light of these challenges, it has become crucial to assist refugee women in gaining new qualifications to secure more stable employment and to build bridges between Poles and their Ukrainian neighbors.
“If we don’t help these people, neither we nor they will learn anything — only the devastation of war will remain,” Wrólewska said.
There is an opportunity, she added, to strengthen political and cultural relationships in the region, which will ultimately serve the cause of peace.
“Ukrainian women are incredibly hardworking, and Poland benefits greatly from this,” Wróblewska said.
Last year, Polish K of C councils sponsored gifts for Ukrainian women and their children for Christmas, which were provided with help by Pontes. The gifts included tickets to the theater and ballet, allowing them to spend time with their children and enjoy cultural experiences.
“These were truly beautiful presents, meant not only to bring momentary joy but also to provide hope and foster development,” said Wróblewska.
Helping Ukrainian refugees requires a personalized approach, and mentoring is a key aspect of support. Many refugees who initially receive assistance from Pontes later become actively involved in helping others.
“The primary mission of the Knights is to bring help where it is needed,” said Grądzki. “Throughout the war, it is the most vulnerable who emigrate to us. That means women and children facing all kinds of difficulties. I’m glad we can support them as Knights of Columbus.”
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
Łeba, a coastal town with about 3,100 permanent residents, welcomed 600 people from Ukraine in 2022. Knights from St. Michael the Archangel Council 17316 and Infant Jesus Council 16039 in neighboring Lębork swiftly welcomed Ukrainian families into their homes.
When it became evident that the war showed no sign of ending soon, the Knights’ focus shifted to creating a permanent support structure where refugees could find stable and dignified work.
“It was necessary to decide quickly what to offer these people, because they were initially accommodated in private homes,” said Father Zenon Myszk, chaplain of Council 17316.
With financial aid from the Knights of Columbus and other local institutions, and under the guidance of Father Myszk, an old seaside school building nearby was transformed into a furnished Mercy Center.
The center soon boasted a professional kitchen with training stations and the Knights helped renovate guest rooms that could accommodate two to four people each — such as a mother with children. A total of 12 rooms were furnished, with 10 Knights involved in nearly every stage of the process.
“We see that the work of the Knights makes a difference,” said District Deputy Zbigniew Gierczak from Council 17316. “We see the results of these acts of mercy.”
One act of charity inspires another, and Council 17316 is now collecting funds for pharmacy vouchers to help parishioners who cannot afford their medications.
The center also serves as a People’s University, a non-formal educational institution rooted in the Catholic spirit, emphasizing practical and participatory learning.
A Polish language course currently has about 260 participants. Two-week hospitality and gastronomy courses, accommodating about 30 participants each, have been organized to meet the growing demand. These courses are led by professionals, including a chef, Mirosław Labuda, who is also a member of Council 17316. The Mercy Center also began mediating employment and offering career counseling, assisting approximately 40 people to date.
“After vocational courses, [mothers] can go to work, but what to do with the children? That’s why we set up a day care center,” said Father Myszk.
A summer integration daycare center in Łeba was supported by the Knights, in response to that need. It has provided 20 Polish and Ukrainian children every summer with a safe and supportive space on weekdays.
“I am delighted with the whole idea of integrating Polish and Ukrainian children. They can learn language and culture together,” said Stanisława Kowal, a caretaker at the day care center.
“We go to the sea every day,” added Kowal, who is originally from Ukraine and has been working at the center since before the war. “We have a lot of toys. Everything is new, nice. The children don’t want to go home!”
Although many participants in the Mercy Center’s activities are from Ukraine, its mission is to support other vulnerable groups in need.
“We are waiting to sign a contract for further activities with the excluded,” explained Father Myszk. “Some of these excluded will be refugees. We will try to take them in as part of our Mercy Center.”
A similar goal of an expanded mission is being pursued by the Mercy Center in Częstochowa.
MUTUAL SELFLESSNESS
From the war’s beginning, St. Wojciech Parish in Częstochowa and Cardinal Primate Stefan Wyszyński Council 15672 became actively helping those affected by the conflict. Between February and December 2022, the parish and Knights collaborated to collect and send 17,000 packages to Ukraine with humanitarian support.
The parish also became a safe place for refugees. Twenty Ukrainian women with children found shelter in the parish rectory, where they were provided free accommodation, meals and material assistance. Soon, these refugees became heavily involved in organizing and managing the warehouse storing aid to be sent to Ukraine. They organized themselves into a group of 10–15 people who came in daily for two years. Taking turns in shifts, they ensured there were women from Ukraine working in the warehouse every day, often for the entire day.
“They worked without any compensation,” said Father Ryszard Umański, a Knight and rector of St. Wojciech Parish. “They could have a meal, they could take something for themselves ... but they never set any financial conditions. No, they were very willing to come [and help].”
As an expression of gratitude, the women decided to give back to St. Wojciech parishioners attending Sunday Masses.
“They made Ukrainian varenyky (in Polish, pierogi) as a way to thank people for their kindness and generosity,” said Father Umański. “People were truly moved; it was such a beautiful surprise.”
This act of kindness sparked another surprise: a proposal to establish a kitchen serving meals to people in need and to large groups of volunteers who worked daily in the warehouse. At Father Umański’s request, the Supreme Council provided a grant from its Ukraine Solidarity Fund to help equip the kitchen and make it operational. For two years, a rotating group of four Ukrainian women prepared meals every weekday, serving people in need and warehouse volunteers, and offering varenyky to parishioners every Sunday.
After two years, most of the refugees who had been operating in the kitchen found employment and new accommodations for their families. Today, the kitchen still operates daily, although on a smaller scale, primarily serving seniors and others in need.
The storeroom also remains active with Knights’ help. In November 2024, a half dozen Knights were present in the warehouse every day for several weeks, helping other volunteers to organize aid for September flood victims in Poland. They also prepared thousands of packages for Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus, where Polish communities reside.