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Words of Gratitude from a Family Supported by Barka Ireland

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At Barka Ireland, we often accompany people on some of the most important journeys of their lives — journeys of return, of recovery, of reconnection. We are honoured to share this heartfelt message of gratitude from the family of two individuals who, with our support, were able to safely return home to Poland. It is words like these that remind us why we do what we do.

(Names and personal details have been shared with the Foundation but are withheld here out of respect for privacy.)

🇬🇧  “Dear All,

On behalf of my entire family, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the whole team at Barka Ireland for their extraordinary support, kindness, and professionalism in helping our loved ones.

Thanks to your commitment, determination and compassionate approach, it was possible to locate and safely bring our parents back to Poland. Their return home on May 9th, 2025, was made possible not only by efficient coordination, but also by the heartfelt care you devoted to this matter.

Our special thanks go to the person who coordinated all the efforts with great dedication and effectiveness, providing care and accompanying our parents until their return.

What you have done will remain for us a true example of humanity and solidarity.

With deep respect and gratitude,

Family supported by Barka Ireland “

W Fundacji Barka Ireland często towarzyszymy ludziom w jednych z najważniejszych podróży ich życia – podróżach powrotu, odbudowy i ponownego połączenia z bliskimi.

Z dumą dzielimy się poruszającym podziękowaniem od rodziny pary, która po 10 latach życia w Irlandii miała wrócić do Polski 3 maja 2025 roku. Gdy nie pojawili się na lotnisku, ich córka rozpoczęła poszukiwania przez policję i media społecznościowe.

Na szczęście parę udało się odnaleźć na lotnisku w Dublinie i – dzięki wspólnym wysiłkom – zapewnić im bezpieczny i godny powrót do domu.

To właśnie takie historie przypominają nam, dlaczego robimy to, co robimy.

🇵🇱 “Szanowni Państwo,

W imieniu mojej rodziny pragnę złożyć serdeczne podziękowania dla całego zespołu organizacji Barka Ireland za niezwykłą pomoc, życzliwość i pełne profesjonalizmu działania w sprawie naszych bliskich.

Dzięki Państwa zaangażowaniu, determinacji oraz empatycznemu podejściu możliwe było odnalezienie i bezpieczne sprowadzenie naszych rodziców do Polski. Ich powrót do domu 9 maja 2025 roku był możliwy nie tylko dzięki sprawnej organizacji, ale też ogromnemu sercu, które włożyli Państwo w tę sprawę.

Szczególne podziękowania kierujemy do osoby, która z oddaniem i skutecznością koordynowała wszystkie działania, zapewniając opiekę i towarzysząc naszym rodzicom aż do momentu ich powrotu.

To, co Państwo zrobili, pozostanie dla nas przykładem autentycznego człowieczeństwa i solidarności.

Z wyrazami głębokiego szacunku i wdzięczności,

Rodzina osób objętych pomocą”

Housing First Europe Hub Conference 2024 in Dublin: Barka Team’s Experience

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From November 18 to 20, the Housing First Europe Hub Conference 2024 was held at the Hibernia
Conference Centre in Dublin. Our Barka team from Ireland, consisting of Aneta Kubas, Tomasz
Flinik, and intern Jewhenija Kolot, had the privilege of attending this impactful event.


Housing First represents a progressive and innovative approach to addressing homelessness.
Rather than focusing on temporary solutions or other issues such as substance abuse, financial
instability, or other contributing factors, Housing First prioritizes providing homeless individuals
with permanent housing. This approach allows them to shift their focus from meeting basic needs
to pursuing long-term goals such as securing employment or improving their overall quality of life.
Experts and practitioners from across Europe and other continents gathered at the conference to
share best practices, develop strategies, and discuss current challenges and potential solutions.
During the event, we participated in a variety of workshops that provided valuable insights. We
learned how different countries, such as Finland and Denmark address homelessness, reviewed
specific approaches to supporting women and mothers, and heard about the challenges Housing
First organizations face in the reintegration of former prisoners.


One of the most enlightening sessions we attended focused on staff wellbeing. The workshop
underlined the importance of self-care, reminding us that in order to take care of others, we must
first take care of ourselves. We learned how to maintain balance, prevent burnouts, and much
more.
Additionally, we took the opportunity to network with representatives from other organizations,
telling them more about Barka and learning about their work and identifying possibilities for future
collaboration.
Attending this conference was an inspiring experience for our team. We got a lot of valuable
information and are looking forward to applying what we have learned and contributing to ending
homelessness.

 

Jewhenija Kolot