Christmas packages for our Ukrainian colleagues

In December 2023, our Ukrainian Damen colleagues received a nicely filled Christmas package full of treats, thanks to all the donations to Foundation Damen Support. These packages were given with the purpose of showing our awareness of our evacuated MDEM colleagues and their circumstances during this extremely difficult time. They were handed out in Uzhhorod and Mykolaiv, Ukraine; Gdansk, Poland; and Galati and Mangalia, Romania.

A group of employees from our MDEM team in Damen Gdansk in Poland gathered for a meeting on behalf of Foundation Damen Support. Ten of them were able to join the gathering. They all shared their personal experiences and appreciation for the Christmas baskets and personal attention.

Most importantly they expressed the challenge of missing their families during the Christmas celebration. Families have been living separately as husbands and fathers are still in the Ukraine, awaiting an uncertain future. Others are alone in Poland, with family either in Ukraine, or spread over Europe due to other reasons. Despite the distance, familial bonds remain strong, and the Christmas holidays make it even harder to be separated from each other.

For 2024, the foundation will continue to support our Ukrainian Damen colleagues, as unfortunately, conditions are deteriorating and not expected to improve any time soon. This makes it crucial for us to keep acting.