Full Breakdown
Martynka Shelter Confronts Funding Shortfall and Growing Hostility in Poland
8/26/2026, 1:00:41 AM
Core Event: Funding Crisis Amid Rising Anti-Ukrainian Sentiment
Four years after its founding, the Martynka non-profit—a two-bedroom shelter in central Kraków that has housed more than 100 Ukrainian women and children—struggles to stay open. Founder Nastya Podorozhnya, who fled Ukraine with her relatives at the war’s outset, says donor appeals now trigger online abuse, and international aid has halved since 2022. The shelter’s helpline recorded about 1,800 assistance requests last year, a figure staff expect to rise as economic and safety needs mount.
Background: Influx of Ukrainian Refugees and Initial Support
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, roughly 3.5 million Ukrainians entered Poland in the first weeks, welcomed by volunteers and granted access to jobs and social security. By the end of 2022, the refugee population stabilized at around 1 million, with more than 70 % quickly finding employment. A Deloitte study estimated that Ukrainian workers contributed 2.7 % of Poland’s GDP in 2024.
Data & Statistics
- Refugee numbers: 3.5 million arrivals (U.N.); ~1 million resident by late 2022.
- Labor market impact: >70 % employment; 2.7 % GDP contribution (Deloitte, 2024).
- Prejudice-motivated crimes: Polish police recorded 180 Ukrainian victims by mid-July, up from 275 for the entire 2025 year and 267 in 2024.
- Funding gap: The UN refugee agency reports only 50 % of identified needs financed this year, down from 94 % in 2022.
Official Statements & Responses
Deputy Minister for Family, Labor and Social Policy Katarzyna Nowakowska told the Associated Press that the state continues to assist the most vulnerable applicants directly, while urging other refugees to seek help from social workers. Researcher Olena Babakova of Warsaw’s Vistula University highlighted that anti-Ukrainian rhetoric intensified during the 2025 presidential campaign, influencing policy proposals from both major candidates.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It often starts with me having tea in this very kitchen with the women and they tell me what happened to them and I say ‘girl, same,’” — Nastya Podorozhnya
- “And it’s not only negative feelings, Ukrainians really experience hostile conversations and attacks,” — Olena Babakova
- “Financial supporters have moved on from helping Ukrainian refugees, but the war is still ongoing,” — Sonia Novytska
- “What Poles need to understand is that we are helping the people that could otherwise become homeless in their neighborhoods, the people who might start abusing substances out of despair they can’t make ends meet,” — Nastya Podorozhnya
