Over the past few years, more than one million refugees have fled from Ukraine to Germany, with a significant number arriving in Frankfurt. To accommodate these individuals, various refugee camps have been established in the city, while others have been welcomed into the homes of German families who provide temporary accommodations.

Our startup, INKUA, is located in the center of Frankfurt, just a few blocks away from the main train station and one block from one of the largest refugee camps. As a result, the refugee crisis has hit particularly close to home for us, as we have several Ukrainians among our team members working in the startup environment provided by TechQuartier.

In response to this crisis, we formed a think tank to explore how we could offer assistance. One of our co-founders, Fabian Nguyen, had been eager to help since the beginning of the conflict. However, we were unsure of how best to proceed, so Fabian reached out to several non-profit organizations and developed several plans that weighed the potential risks and benefits of each.

After several meetings, we ultimately decided to travel to Odessa through Moldova. This route was deemed fast and safe, and we had established connections with various people and non-profit organizations in the region. Additionally, the risk was relatively low, as the port city of Odessa is well-defended and holds strategic importance.

Although the journey was more difficult than anticipated, with significant resistance from local authorities, we persevered and arrived in Odessa. To facilitate our entry, we presented ourselves as journalists from INKUA, with one team member, Daniel Mayorov, being an experienced journalist. Despite the challenges we faced, our objective was good and our intentions pure, so we remained fearless.

Upon arriving in Odessa, we were confronted with the harsh reality of daily air-raid alarms and limited access to necessities such as hot water, internet, and electricity. However, the strength and determination of the local people inspired us, and we were determined to do our part to help. In future posts, we will share more about the incredible stories of the volunteers and non-profit organizations we encountered in Odessa, as well as the impressive work being done by the Ukraine Assistance Organization and its dedicated doctors and managers. 

Stay tuned for updates!

Team:
Fabian Nguyen
Daniel Mayorov
Frank Escudero

Article By: Frank Escudero