In Nantes, the Tryzub association works to ensure that the influx of donations does not rhyme with saturation

In their vast warehouse now located in the former MIN, on the island of Nantes, the boxes have been labelled, stacked on pallets, filmed, and are now ready to go. All day long, for three weeks, about twenty volunteers out of the 500 that the Franco-Ukrainian association Tryzub has today take turns to sort the thousands and thousands of donations received for Ukraine, where the war continues to rage. . While some NGOs are finding it very difficult to cope with this influx, even preferring to suspend collections or favor financial donations, the Nantes association does not give up, on the contrary. “We hear here and there that there are no more needs, deplores Céline Harcouet, of the Maison de l’Europe, who supports the initiative. This is false, we must continue to mobilize. »

This Tuesday afternoon, a 24-tonne truck left for the Slovak-Ukrainian border. The last pallets are loaded, and there is not a centimeter of free space left. “We send food, blankets, hygiene products, camping equipment…, everything that meets the needs on site at the moment, explains Valentin Gauffre, coordinator of Tryzub. The goods will be taken in place by Ukrainian NGO partners and will be dispatched to where it is most needed, and in particular to the small towns around kyiv. »

In Nantes, the Tryzub association centralizes donations for Ukraine – J. Urbach / 20 Minutes

One way not to further overload the logistics centers based at the borders, “armored by the sudden influx which creates a certain disorganization”, according to the volunteer. “The donations sometimes arrive in bulk, the people on site spend their time sorting. Embassies are also overwhelmed, says Valentin Gauffre. To avoid that it remains blocked, we prefer to establish direct links with the cities in Ukraine, even if the risk of bombardment exists. »

One to two trucks will leave each week

To gain in efficiency, Tryzub has therefore developed a well-established organization. Because it is through her that passes the majority of donations from individuals deposited at the Maison de l’Europe, or those from collections organized by communities or businesses in the agglomeration. For them, “collection kits” have been produced, with a list of preferred equipment and labels in three languages ​​to “avoid the mess”. Thanks to this system, the association estimates that 150 tons of products of all kinds are ready to be shipped, thanks to one or two trucks which will now leave every week.

At the same time, the Tryzub association is relaunching a call for solidarity hosts while between 5,000 and 10,000 Ukrainian refugees are expected in the Pays-de-la-Loire in the coming weeks. It has also just launched French course sessions for new arrivals.

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