Polish women’s shelter for Ukrainian refugees struggles as aid wanes and hostility grows

Nastya Podorozhnya, who returned to Ukraine to rescue her sister and nieces before the February 2022 invasion, created Martynka—a helpline and shelter for Ukrainian women facing gender-based violence—in a modest two-bedroom flat in Krakow. The centre has housed over 100 women and children, providing legal aid, medical care, psychological support, and help finding jobs and housing. Initial fundraising was robust, but donor attention has shifted to other crises, leaving the shelter financially strained.

Anti-Ukrainian rhetoric intensified during the 2025 presidential campaign, with candidates proposing policies that would limit refugees’ access to services, and tensions rose after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named a military unit after a controversial World-II group. Polish police recorded 180 prejudice-motivated crimes against Ukrainians by mid-July, up from 275 for the entire previous year. The government has reduced aid, arguing many refugees are now stable, while the UN refugee agency reports a steady decline in international financing. Martynka’s staff warn that without renewed support, vulnerable refugees could face homelessness and further marginalisation.