6460 Red Shield Summer 2022 REPRO (Page Turner) - Flipbook - Page 6
6 | RedShield | Summer 2022
MDA RESPONDS TO UKRAINE CRISIS
In February, the world watched in horror as
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of
Ukraine. This led to Europe’s fastest-growing
refugee crisis since World War II, with eight
million people displaced in Ukraine and
seven million seeking safety in
neighbouring countries.
In Moldova, where 400,000 refugees have fled
to, Magen David Adom has set up an
emergency field clinic that is operating
alongside the International Committee of the
Red Cross. MDA has also deployed paramedics
to an emergency field hospital inside Ukraine, in
partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and sent 10 ambulances to the country,
five of which were donated by supporters of
MDA UK. These ambulances have undergone
special service to prepare them for use under
the fire of battle.
In Israel, MDA transformed its National Mobile
Command & Control Centre into a helpline
manned with Russian and Ukrainian speakers,
which has had thousands of calls from those
caught up in this humanitarian tragedy. As
Ukrainian Olim arrive in what is predicted to
be the greatest wave of aliyah in recent
history, MDA has been on hand to offer
emergency medical attention to refugees as
they step off the plane. MDA UK is also
covering the medical costs of all those
making aliyah, reducing the bureaucracy for
them during this tumultuous time.
A RAY OF LIGHT FOR
UKRAINIAN ORPHANS
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
In March, Magen David Adom UK facilitated
a rescue flight to bring 54 Ukrainian orphans
safely from Poland to the UK, dubbed
‘Project Light’.
accommodation had been secured. They are
living there while the conflict continues,
before hopefully returning home to a
peaceful Ukraine.
The orphans, together with their legal guardians,
had been evacuated to safety in Poland by
charities Dnipro Kids and Save a Child UK after
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Following an
intervention by MDA UK ambassador Robert
Rinder, who heard about their plight while
broadcasting from the Ukrainian border, MDA UK
contacted Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss. Within
hours, the airline had donated a flight to bring
Daniel Burger, CEO of Magen David Adom UK,
said, “This operation has only been possible
thanks to the generosity of so many people.
Lifesaving is Magen David Adom’s reason for
being and we wanted to support Ukraine in
any way possible.
the group to London.
The mammoth operation, which also involved
British humanitarian Sally Becker, was the largest
airlift of child refugees from Ukraine. Upon arrival
the group were taken to Scotland, where
Standing at the doorway as the kids made
their way up the stairs – boarding a plane for
the very first time – it was impossible not to
appreciate both the human tragedy and
human victory. The tragedy of the orphans
and their already difficult lives further ruined by
a needless war. The victory of human spirit –
the good that can happen when people work
together for a common goal.”
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
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Project Light garnered national
coverage, including features on BBC
Breakfast, The Guardian and Sky News
Photo: Virgin Atlantic
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