Ukrainians, our new neighbors

In his tiny shop on rue Edouard-Grimaux, in Poitiers, Boghdan Sauveur is busy. Hands-free kit “grafted” into the ear, the president of Free Ukraine juggles between his professional activity – the repair of telephones and computers – and his associative obligations. The phone constantly heats up. “A lot of Ukrainians call us for administrative problems, housing requests. Besides, if you could say that we lack apartments not too far from Poitiers…” To his knowledge, “a dozen families left Vienna to go back to Germany or Poland”. Many stay by obligation.

Since the outbreak of the war, 695 Ukrainians have arrived in the department, 448 adults and 247 minors. The figures of the Vienne prefecture have only moved marginally for a few weeks, those of Audacia with. The structure mobilized from March 2022 to organize the reception of families, mainly women with or without children, even the elderly. The war started by Russia threw some 7.5 million nationals onto the roads, 66,000 of whom migrated to France. The urgency of sheltering in collective housing (gymnasiums, independent residences, etc.) or in Poitevin families has fizzled out.“We initially opened 400 places with a remarkable mobilization of our employees”

, observes Jean-Marc Jouve, CEO of Audacia. Only ten emergency places remain today.

The difficult integration From temporary to lasting, the association quickly activated a second phase.“The idea today is that everyone goes to paid accommodation” , comments Gwénaëlle Geffroy. The operation is complicated for legal reasons. And the director of the Migrant Pole of Audacia admits that it is“hard to find apartments” . Seventeen studios/T1, six T2, twelve T3, as many T4, two T5 and as many T6 are missing in Poitiers, Grand Poitiers and Châtellerault. To be able to learn French -53 people take courses out of the 150 adults supported, 77 children are also educated- and all the more reason to work, mobility is revealed“essential”

. However, the families are spread over about thirty municipalities, some of which are in rural areas. And without speaking the language… As a result, only 26 people have a professional activity (see page 4).“Autonomy is a major subject develops Gwenaëlle Geffroy. In the minds of many Ukrainian women, we feel that the deadline for a possible return has lengthened. Nevertheless, they live the war on a daily basis, are in it, take part in the fight in their own way. »No doubt there will be many on Saturday, at 5 p.m., Place Leclerc, where yet another rally in support of the Ukrainian people will take place. The day before, another meeting is scheduled at 12 noon in front of the Hôtel du Département. The disastrous 1st anniversary is feared by Boghdan Sauveur, who fears

^{“a coup de brilliance from Putin, perhaps even before the 24th”.}