German rescues Ukrainian frontline residents – Interview
Immer noch harren in der Ukraine Alte, Kranke und Babys in Kampfgebieten nahe der Front aus. Andreas Tölke will sie mit seiner Hilfsorganisation “Be an Angel” retten. Dabei erlebt er den russischen Bombenterror hautnah.
Berlin-based NGO Evacuates Refugees – TAZ.de
With the Wheelchair into the Air-Raid Shelter – Deutsche Welle
By early April, the Republic of Moldova had taken in nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees, presenting a significant challenge for Europe’s poorest country. The Berlin-based association “Be an Angel,” led by Ulrike Lessig, who is herself wheelchair-bound, supports the refugees, particularly those with disabilities. These individuals often struggle to reach bomb shelters or move around their homes. “Be an Angel” organizes evacuations, medical care, and provides aid such as wheelchairs and hospital beds. Despite these efforts, basic support is lacking. Additionally, the German Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired is helping visually impaired refugees and safely bringing them to Germany.
The new German willingness to help – and why it makes us so happy
Bringing the Refugee Crisis Home in Berlin – The New Yorker
Three weeks after his Berlin apartment was photographed for a lifestyle magazine, Andreas Tölke turned his home into an emergency shelter for refugees. Tölke, a journalist specializing in architecture and design, spontaneously took in three Egyptians, a Bosnian teenager, and a Moldovan. Since then, he has hosted 38 refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Albania, assisting them with bureaucratic tasks, taking them shopping, and helping them integrate into Germany. The willingness of Berliners like Tölke to help reflects a larger cultural movement that critically questions government policies and responses to the refugee crisis.