The little boy arrived alone on the Slovak border from Zaporizhia, more than 1000 kilometers away – Denník N

A little boy from Zaporozhye, more than 1,000 kilometers away, arrived alone on the Slovak border with Ukraine. The 11-year-old had only a plastic bag, a passport and a phone number written on his hand. His parents had to stay in Ukraine.

“Volunteers willingly took care of him, took him warm and provided him with food and drink, which they packed for his next trip,” police said. “Thanks to the number on his hand and a piece of paper in his passport, he was able to contact his loved ones, who later came for him.”

Psychologist Sabina Orlovská points out that some children cross borders themselves. These may be children from Ukrainian children’s homes, but also children whose parents cannot leave Ukraine. Aunt or grandparents in Slovakia and other countries take their children with them.

“I met a 14-year-old girl whose mother still needed to stay in her homeland and her father was on his way from the west,” says Orlovská.