Ukrainian Evacuee Serves Up Home Cooking At Charity Event
Japan has accepted over 800 evacuees from Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. Many have struggled to adapt to life in Japan, but charity events in support of their country are providing them with a sense of community.
Hundreds of people attended a fundraiser held in Komae City, western Tokyo.
Maria Dovbash arrived in Komae this March. Her hometown in Ukraine faced the threat of an imminent attack and she had to flee with almost nothing.
She struggled to communicate at first, unable to speak Japanese or English. So she turned to a language everyone can understand: cooking. She taught her new neighbors how to make Ukrainian borscht.
They served 500 cups of the soup at Saturday's event. Maria thanked the attendees in Japanese.
Maria's daughter Nataliia was worried her mother would feel lonely in Tokyo, so she was relieved to see her having fun at the event.
"She's happy to be part of society," Nataliia said, adding her mother would take part in more opportunities to communicate with residents in the future.
Maria hopes her stay in Japan is a short one and she will be able to return to Ukraine soon. But in the meantime, communities like Komae are doing their best so she and other Ukrainian evacuees can feel at home.