People fleeing from Ukraine queue to board on a bus at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, on March 4.Markus Schreiber/The Associated Press
The organizer: Arthur Koval
The pitch: Helping refugees along the Polish-Ukrainian border
Arthur Koval moved from Toronto to Lviv in western Ukraine seven months ago with a dream of starting a construction business. He’d been born in Lviv and spent time in Poland before immigrating to Canada in 2001.
He and his girlfriend were just about to buy a piece of property when the war with Russia broke out. His relatives in Canada told him to leave Ukraine but Mr. Koval, 37, had a change of heart when he got to the Polish border and saw tens of thousands of Ukrainians waiting in freezing temperatures to get across. Instead of joining the exodus, Mr. Koval filled his car with blankets and food and started handing everything out to those in line. He kept returning, over and over.
Mr. Koval and his girlfriend eventually relocated across the border in Rzeszow, Poland, where Mr. Koval operates a taxi service with nine cabs and an auto repair shop. He wasn’t finished helping refugees.
He turned the repair shop into a makeshift warehouse for donated food, clothing and other supplies; and bought a minivan for US$8,000. With the help of some friends, he started making regular trips to Ukraine to distribute aid to refugee shelters, soldiers and communities in need. Mr. Koval and his friends are now moving donated goods sent from all over the world to destinations across Ukraine through a network of contacts.
He funded nearly everything himself at first, but he’s recently received some support from friends and family. “As much as I can I’m trying,” he said during a rare break in Rzeszow. “If there is one kid who is fed, it’s worthwhile.”
He still thinks about that long line at the border in late February – which stretched up to 30 kilometres – and the children he saw shivering, waiting to get to safety. “I would go to the border and give out chocolate, bread, food and blankets,” he recalled. “If you are giving chocolate to a kid, there is a smile. It’s hard to express the feelings when you see that.”
Your time is valuable. Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. Sign up today.