Faces of Solidarity: “There was nothing I could say, but there was something I could do”
Stories of people who have chosen to support the Ukrainians in action in this most difficult of times.
2/21/202512 min read
February 24 marks three years since russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – a day that shattered illusions and forced the world to see the stark contrast between black and white, between tyranny and freedom, between cruelty and humanity. Ukraine has paid the highest price for daring to choose democracy. Its cities have been turned to rubble, its people torn from their homes, its children robbed of their innocence. This darkness has a name – putin. His brutality knows no limits, his war will not stop until he is stopped.
But in this abyss of suffering, there are those who have chosen to stand on the right side of history. Among them are Austrians individuals who could have remained indifferent but instead reached out their hands to help. Some have sent humanitarian aid to war-ravaged cities, ensuring that Ukrainian families have food, medicine, and warmth. Others have supported the Ukrainian army, understanding that defending Ukraine means defending Europe and the democratic world itself. And many have opened their homes to refugees, offering not just shelter but dignity, hope, and a new beginning.
This war is not just Ukraine’s tragedy – it is the world’s. And in the face of such horror, these people remind us that solidarity is not an act of charity but a moral imperative. Their support is not a gift – it is a stand for justice, for peace, for the fundamental values that define free societies.
We honor them. We thank them. And we remind the world: Ukraine still needs unwavering support. Wars do not end when the headlines fade. They end when tyranny is defeated, when justice prevails, and when every displaced person finds their way home.
Today, we share their stories – Austrians who refused to stand by in silence, who chose to help with compassion, courage, and an unshakable belief in justice.
Adam Shephard
Nuclear energy specialist, volunteer
Founder of the NGO Vienna Mission for Ukraine
What personally motivated me to help Ukrainians in 2022? This is a question I have struggled to answer for myself because there were, and still are, so many reasons to help. I was with a Ukrainian friend and mentor in Vienna during the first days following the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. I had never known anyone to suffer as much as my friend was suffering at that moment. I simply reacted out of human nature in response to my friend’s pain. There was nothing I could say, but there was something I could do. I began volunteering by driving humanitarian aid to Ukraine and evacuating refugees to the EU. This eventually led to the founding of the Vienna Mission for Ukraine, which continues to this day.
I have personally witnessed clear evidence of atrocities. While in Irpin, Ukraine – an area near Kyiv deoccupied early in the war – I saw every single house in a large neighborhood riddled with bullet holes. The destruction indicated that soldiers had gone house to house, emptying machine guns into residential homes. This was clear evidence of systematic targeting of civilians. I was profoundly impacted – not only because I couldn’t imagine soldiers following such orders, but because I had never seen this reported in Western media.
The scale of the humanitarian crisis is unlike anything Europe or the U.S. has seen since World War II. Those of us with the privilege of leisure time or disposable income must step up. The need is ongoing, and even small contributions – whether of time or money – can change lives. For example, a life-saving medical evacuation in Ukraine costs as little as $20 per patient. Volunteers in Vienna continue to prevent unnecessary deaths, homelessness, and trauma at little-to-no cost.
Nina and Benedikt Metternich
Provided shelter to three Ukrainian families, support integration of Ukrainian professionals in Austria
Nina Metternich
Strategic Partnerships at EUCFI
The reason why we helped Ukrainians who fled to Austria in 2022 was similar to the reason why we helped people who fled Syria in 2016: Some crazy politics and war swamped a large number of unprepared and, for their sudden destiny, innocent people into our country, without a plan of where to go and what could be next in their lives. No possibility to turn back and nowhere really to turn to. It was the common humanness we shared that made it seem logical to offer what we had: a safe place to stay until things crystallized and a future could be seen.
There are a lot of stories that impressed me in relation to our help to Ukrainians. Most of them are related to the fact that for whatever was given, at least the same or more was given back. There is great gratitude and consciousness coming from the Ukrainian side. A lot of love and friendship were offered and a great readiness to be at disposal at any time help or support was needed. No matter if it was difficult or not.
But a concrete story of beautiful help I want to tell is touching both from the Ukrainian and the Austrian side. The first winter of 22/23 approached, and everyone was worried about the people suffering in the war zone. Tania, living with us, decided to try and organize some help by sending some stuff over the border, and her husband would pick it up and bring it to the war zone. The group actively supporting Ukrainians in our rural region decided to help her and called out for donations, which were to be collected in an empty house. We were a little worried because it was shortly before Christmas. Soon, the donations were so many that they hardly fit into the house. We had to organize a truck to bring everything over the border, and Tania’s husband had to come over to help coordinate the logistics to get everything through the border. It was the day before Christmas when everything was ready. How to get it sorted and then into the truck? A big cooperation between Ukrainians, Austrian volunteers, the fire brigade, and so on made the impossible Christmas miracle possible, and everything arrived in Ukraine shortly after Christmas!
In fact, nothing much has changed from then to today. If anything, things have gotten worse. The possibility of turning back seems even less, and the vision for the future is still unclear. People who came here three years ago are doing their best to learn the language and blend into Austrian society. It seems less certain that they can go back easily, but it is still an open possibility. It is very difficult to make plans. So the reason why to help now has not changed much from why we helped in 2022. One thing has changed, though — and that is all the friendship and greater understanding that has developed in these three years, and this is why the will to help is much larger than it was before.
Benedikt Metternich
Development Management Specialist
The reason I support EUCFI and what it does continues to be the same as it was initially: to work together with the Ukrainian diaspora in Europe and Austrian public and private actors to forge lasting alliances between the two that 1. Help utilize the remarkable skills Ukrainians have. 2. Support Austrian institutions with these skills. 3. Thereby help establish structures – formal and informal – that may support post-war reconstruction efforts. This simple and ingenious approach is as relevant today as it was at any time during this war. And its validity is underlined time and again whenever I meet the remarkable women who have been touched by EUCFI.
Roderick Boekdrukker
Project Manager
Supplies Ukrainian soldiers and refugees with essential items
People either have a humanitarian values or they don't. What usually triggers a response is the proximity or the perceived impact that one's charity can have. Since 2015 I have been supporting Ukraine in its fight for democratic freedom in whichever capacity I had at the time, from buying food for soldiers, sending donations and after 2022 opening my home and other resources to Ukrainians fleeing the brutal war. Apart from helping Ukrainians in Austria, I also make and organise regular donations to the Ukrainian army, for example thermal gear, warm clothing and other equipment. I don't have a need to show solidarity, it is one of my core values.
When the war broke out we helped "collect" people from the border or from bus stops between Ukraine and Vienna. There are many impressions I could share, two particularly come to mind. Firstly, we organised homes for more than 30 Ukrainians and their children and the unspoken bond and willingness of all the Austrian people involved to drop what they were doing and help, especially in the villages of Würnitz, Möllmannsdorf and Korneuburg.
What also stuck out were the faces of fear and desperation of Ukrainian women arriving after 70+ hours of travel with infants, and more amazingly that all children or infants had a sense of what was happening and were so well behaved and strong as if they knew they had to support their mothers. It simply wasn't the time for crying or complaining, and this wisdom that normally comes in people's forties or so, was very evident in these children's demeanours and behaviour.
Russia must be stopped, otherwise they will continue beyond Ukraine. We support in whatever way we can.
Elisabeth Böck
HR Manager
Helped Ukrainians with adaptation and integration
The topic of war and flight is one that can affect anyone. It was important to me to do my bit to at least help individual people. The process was also important to understand.
What impressed me was and is the connection to my home country. The people I got to know never stopped thinking about their homeland. What's more, there was always a smile at the end, a warmth that made a lasting impression on me. And although my own suffering was so great, there were always questions about my family. Helping was inspiring and important to me.
It will probably remain important to help. Not only for us as individuals, but also for the EU or even the global community. However, as this community is currently drifting apart and being put to the test, I think it is important not to forget about Ukraine. The suffering is even greater, the people are still not independent.
But it will probably become increasingly difficult as the political situation around the world becomes more and more nationalistic.
Trude Loibl
Founder of Community Center
Organizes humanitarian aid, donation drives, and refugee support in Austria
It was a shock for us, too, when we learned that russian armies had invaded Ukraine. We were paralyzed with horror – this could happen to us as well!
From the very beginning, it was clear that we would do everything possible to help the Ukrainian people. Our support had to be compatible with our neutrality, and humanitarian aid was the best way to achieve that. There was no time for long deliberation – we immediately organized accommodations for the families arriving in our community.
I still vividly remember the moment when a family arrived in Mollmannsdorf, and we had not yet furnished their apartment. We welcomed them and immediately started gathering the necessary household items. It was touching to see how everyone contributed. Within about four hours, we had fully equipped the house with everything essential. It felt like a miracle – I stood there with tears in my eyes, overwhelmed by the generosity of our community members. The families could finally settle in.
After a period of adjustment, we began teaching our guests some German. These gatherings took place at the Servus Social Center, serving not only as language lessons but also as an opportunity for the newcomers to get to know one another and share experiences. Overcoming bureaucratic challenges required effort, but the willingness to dedicate personal time and family time to support these efforts was remarkable.
In the summer of 2022, we held a deeply moving concert by the forest lake, where both Ukrainian and Austrian songs were performed. It was a powerful moment of unity.
One particularly significant event was when we learned that a "refugee baby" was on the way. Finally, something positive – life goes on!
Before Christmas in 2022, we organized a collection of warm clothing, generators, and stoves for transport to Ukraine. The willingness to donate was incredible – everyone wanted to contribute. We had all felt so helpless, but this was a way for each of us to play a small part in alleviating the suffering on the ground.
We gathered hundreds of bags of clothing, several stoves, and some generators, which were sent to Ukraine on December 23, just before Christmas. Finding a driver willing to travel into a dangerous area was not easy. Even transporting the goods down from the mountain posed a challenge, but our local firefighters and municipal employees stepped in to help. Financially, the transport was also a burden, costing several thousand euros. However, the generosity of donors was so great that we managed to cover all the expenses.
Everyone wanted to help.
Of course, not all our experiences with refugees were positive. One family did not integrate into our community and made life difficult for us. This was also hard for the well-integrated guests, as they feared that their good relationship with the hosts might be jeopardized. But in any population, there will always be a few who do not fit in. Eventually, the problem resolved itself when the family returned to Ukraine, and we were relieved to no longer have to deal with the situation. In such cases, offering help is especially challenging.
I have developed a close friendship with the families we have hosted and would not want to miss a single one of them. I particularly enjoy working with the father of one family – we have already completed many projects together. Through our collaboration, his German has also improved significantly.
I am grateful to have met all these people and hope that we can share many more moments together in the future.
Personally, I have learned a great deal from this experience. Despite the uncertainty about what lies ahead, I firmly believe that our guests will always have a place in our country. That is what we want.
I wish each and every one of them success on their journey and look forward to seeing them thrive.
Michaela Asteriou
Communication Specialist
Hosted a Ukrainian family to protect children from the war
It has always been important to me to help people in need. In the past, I mainly donated money. When I saw the first pictures of the war in Ukraine, I simply felt that I had to do more, and since our children no longer lived at home, we had enough space to take in a family. From the stories of my grandparents and parents, I know how terrible war is, especially for children. Therefore, I wanted to spare at least one family these terrible experience.
Soon after the children from Ukraine stayed with us, we were sitting in the garden and a plane flew over us, you could see the condensation trail. Panic broke out: "Mum, we have to get to the bomb shelter, quickly". It hit me right in the heart - luckily the two girls came to us relatively soon after the war started. Three months later, the only question they asked when they saw a plane was: "Where is it going?" How wonderful when children don't have to grow up in fear and can live almost carefree.
Where there is need, help should be given. Over the course of my life, I have learned not to judge people by their origins, but by whether they are good or bad. Fate, or whatever you want to call it, brought us together with a Ukrainian family. I know that my contribution is only a very small one overall, but for this one family it was and is life-changing. We all want to live in peace and see our children grow up safely. That is why humanitarian support for countries at war like Ukraine must not stop.
Valerie Loudon
Photographer
Photographer documenting the stories of Ukrainian refugee women
Being an artist (and a mother myself), I was deeply moved by the stories of Ukrainian women fleeing in 2022 with their children. It motivated me right away, to try to make contact with these incredibly courageous women, who had to leave everything behind and travel to a new country where they didn't speak the language. Their stories left a lasting impression on me and I couldn't forget them. That's why I decided to portray these women, mothers, heroes.
Through a friend of mine, I was introduced to Mollmannsdorf, where I had the opportunity to meet these mothers and portray them with their children. It was a very special moment, and I am very grateful for the trust and openness that they showed me at that time. None of us could have imagined, at the time, that the war would last this long.
