Birmingham student helps refugees fleeing Ukraine war

A university student has described how volunteering as a paramedic during the Ukraine war was a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.

Andy Stanciu, 21, a policing and investigations studies student at Birmingham City University, flew out to the Romania-Ukraine border in March 2022.

He spent more than a month assisting thousands of refugees fleeing the war.

"I want to help people, and this is my way of being able to do that," he said.

Mr Stanciu previously worked as a first responder for the Romanian fire service before moving to the UK for university.

During his time at the small Romanian border town of Siret, he tended to people who were injured and those who had been separated from their families, including a six-year-old boy.

"His clothes were ripped and he had walked to the border on his own," Mr Stanciu said.

"We went to change him and there was his name, date of birth, address, blood type and a phone number written in permanent marker on his back, on his skin."

Mr Stanciu said he was able to contact the boy's mother to let her know he was safe, but the experience, he added, would stay with him.

"I'll never not see that, it was a tough moment," he explained.

Mr Stanciu said he wanted to remind others about the realities of war.

"I've seen people harass refugees for not staying and fighting; the emotional damage that it causes is horrible," he told the BBC.

"We need to help them feel safe, to encourage them that everything is going to be all right.

"I've seen a lot as a paramedic, but what I saw on the border will stay with me."

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