Toulouse: a call for sponsorship to help Ukrainian refugees
Paul Manesco, an engineer from Montpellier, is appealing for sponsorship to support the transport of Ukrainian refugees so that they can reach Occitania as soon as possible.
“It’s ultra-concrete, in three days, we can bring 200 people back to France”, chants Paul Manesco, a Franco-Romanian engineer. The father, who arrived in France at the age of 14 as a political refugee, was immediately affected by the situation in Ukraine.
A first action for refugees
Noting a lack of political will, despite official speeches, he decided to come to the aid of the refugees by his own means. After raising €6,000 thanks to his network staff, he left for Romania on March 16. After 2,780 km from Bucharest, it brings 53 refugees back to Béziers. This evacuation action, carried out in an emergency, was difficult. “I’ve seen the cogs and the hurdles and now I know how to go about meeting the needs,” says Paul. He therefore launched a second action to organize the transport of more than 200 refugees to Occitania.
A call for broader action
He is currently working with Romanian transport companies and NGOs on the Ukrainian border. These contacts enabled him to bring together four coaches at an attractive price: €90 per adult and €60 for children under ten. According to him, there is an exceptional surge of solidarity in France with many families ready to welcome refugees, the only problem remains logistics. By coordinating this action, he wishes to guarantee the best security conditions for this trip between Romania and France. The reception of Ukrainians will then be done with the help of the Red Cross, the Civil Protection and the crisis units of the town halls making it possible to welcome them. Contacts with the Region in this regard are already underway. The final objective is to offer Ukrainians free transport to Occitania, to meet this urgent need. “If this evening I gather the necessary money, I will leave tomorrow for Romania without hesitation,” says the 47-year-old engineer with determination. This call is therefore addressed to companies, foundations or individuals wishing to sponsor this trip. Just contact him at his email address: [email protected]