SOPOT, Poland–The Via Stella Foundation, the joint U.S./Polish initiative that was launched in the wake of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and which has provided support to credit unions and to CU members, people and refugees in both Poland and Ukraine has offered its latest update.
Rafal Matusiak, president of the National Association of Credit and Savings Unions (NACSCU), Poland’s credit union trade association, noted in his latest update that “In times of crisis, we focus on the problems that we face and the victims that we seek to help. Too often, we do not count the progress and success stories along the way.”
Matusiak shared that Poland continues to host approximately 1.5-million Ukrainian refuges, most of whom are women and children.
“During the refugee crisis of 2022, we had to look beyond the relief emergency of the moment to find ways to alleviate the pressure on Polish communities receiving the refugees,” he wrote. “Our central question is how refugees and the Polish communities hosting them can achieve sustainable stability despite continuing uncertainty about the war.”
What Has Been Taking Place
Among the points shared by Matusiak:
- An estimated 76% of Ukrainian refugees in Poland were employed in 2025, with many admittedly employed below their qualification in manual or lower-skill jobs due to the lack of recognition of Ukrainian professional qualifications. Child-care responsibilities also constrain employment for many women, he said.
- Poland’s communities have absorbed approximately 150,000 Ukrainian refugee children in local schools, where many continue to face many challenges, including language and psychological trauma.
- Overall, the Ukrainian refugee challenge in Poland as “evolved from relief and stabilization to one of community 9integration,” Matusiak said.
Two-Prong Focus
“Via stella’s pathway to safety approach addresses refugee family pathways to economic independence, while also helping Polish communities manage the continuing demands of refugees,” Matusiak wrote. “This is why our current programs in Poland in Poland focus on 1) Women’s Health services for refugee women to support their ability to work and nurture their families, and on 2) assisting schools with materials, as well as lunch and breakfast programs for the refugee children.”
Matusiak closed by expressing gratitude for the assistance that has been provided to Via Stella.
