Red Cross opens hotline for Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands

The Red Cross opened up a hotline for Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. Assistance is available in both Ukrainian and English. A Dutch-language helpline will run alongside this for people who want to request help in Dutch, or for locals who want to offer help to refugees, the organization announced.

“The people who have fled violence in Ukraine have had a difficult time. As the Red Cross, we think it is important that these people are well received in the Netherlands and that they can access proper information about the help available,” Marieke van Schaik, General Director of the Red Cross, explained.

Moreover, the helpline is being set up for Ukrainian refugees who often do not know where they can go for assistance. This can be even more difficult for people who do not speak Dutch, the organization said. Being able to ask questions in Ukrainian via WhatsApp will make it easier to get questions answered, the Red Cross believes.

People who speak Ukrainian or English can contact the Red Cross on 06-48158053 using WhatsApp. The Dutch-language line is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday. That number is 070-4455888.

The Red Cross has also set up humanitarian service points, in collaboration with other organizations. These act as waiting places for refugees who have just arrived by train. People can then be taken to an emergency shelter or a volunteer’s home. 

To date, more than 400 volunteers from the Red Cross have provided more than 5,000 hours of help, with 270 people also available on call.