Trip to Moldova
Orlando Bloom helps refugee Ukrainians
As a UNICEF ambassador, Orlando Bloom helps needy families around the world.
© Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/ImageCollect
Orlando Bloom was recently in Moldova near the Ukraine border as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. He will never forget his experiences there.
“Pirates of the Caribbean” star Orlando Bloom (45) is not just a fixture in Hollywood. As a UNICEF ambassador, the actor is also committed to humanitarian aid for women and children around the world. In a guest post on the US site “People” Bloom describes his experiences he recently had on site in Moldova on the border with Ukraine.
Bloom begins his essay by saying that he can never forget what he experienced there. “I’ve seen families leave in such a hurry that their worldly possessions have been reduced to the clothes they wore. I’ve seen children carrying their favorite teddy bears, not knowing what’s going to happen next. ” Bloom, himself a father, would also “do anything to protect my children. But I can only remotely imagine the devastating decisions these mothers had to make.”
In just one month, Moldova took in over 300,000 people. But with its limited resources, the country is hopelessly overwhelmed in properly caring for the thousands upon thousands of refugees from Ukraine – mostly women and children. In Moldova, UNICEF has set up several so-called “Blue Dots” – centers where families can recover from the hardships of fleeing and are informed about the next steps. Bloom also helped out in one of these “Blue Dots”.
“We call them guests of honor”
Back in his homeland, the Brit “can’t stop thinking about all these families I’ve met and all the things they had to leave behind”. […] So much suffering for so many young lives. None of these children will ever be the same again.” But the helpfulness and hospitality of the Moldovans, which he witnessed during his time there, was unforgettable and “truly inspiring”.
In his article, Bloom states that more than two-thirds of all refugees are currently staying with host families. One of these local helpers, whom he was able to get to know on site, said to him: “We don’t call them refugees. We call them guests of honor.”