The Zaanse Julia loves Easter. A party that she likes to share with her children and her family. And this year she also granted that feeling to the refugees from Ukraine on the Zaanse Hembrug site. She and her boyfriend Edgar collected food, drinks and toys for the couple to hand over this morning.
For their Easter promotion, Julia and Edgar had made a special poster that they hung all over their own neighborhood, the Rosmolenbuurt in Zaandam. They have also drawn attention to their campaign via Facebook.
Edgar even took the past week off from work to collect goods. “A lot of people canceled at the last minute and I think that’s a shame. And then the cat also died last night.”
So things are not going well for the couple, but nevertheless they would like to bring the things that are there to the Hembrug site. There they are welcomed at the door by Michiel of the Salvation Army. “It’s a beautiful gesture, he says and we can use everything because people just don’t have anything when they come here,” says Michiel. Because of the strict privacy rules we are not allowed in, but Michiel goes to see if there are Ukrainians who want to talk to Julia and Edgar.
Relief
After a while, two women come out. They speak a little English and are visibly happy with the goodies that Edgar and Julia have brought. To the relief of the couple who were a bit ashamed of the small quantities.
Three young boys join in the conversation who are very happy that they are being cared for in the Netherlands. The freedom they see here makes them completely happy, they say. “Here you can just be who you are,” says Nikita, who turned 23 today.
Edgar takes the plunge and asks Michiel if he can invite the boys to dinner at their home. Edgar and Julia hug the boys and the women and go home feeling good.