"This experience opened my eyes—and restored my faith in others"
Veronika Motyková, 21, Scout volunteer supporting border and camp operations
NSO: Association of Scouts and Guides of Slovakia
By Knowledge Network – Staff member
When war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022, Veronika, then a 21-year-old psychology student and Scout, joined the humanitarian efforts at the Slovak-Ukrainian border. Drawing on her previous service during the COVID-19 pandemic, she immediately recognised the scale of the crisis unfolding.
“There were so many mothers with young children, even babies, who just crossed the border into Slovakia. It was freezing cold, and the nights were horrible.
Organising the border response
A basecamp quickly formed, where Scouts played a crucial role alongside NGOs and state services. Veronika and her peers organised themselves into day and night shifts, volunteering in registration, warm clothing distribution, food preparation and service and hygiene and site upkeep. “We didn’t wait for instructions—we just saw what needed doing and got to work. Some handled registration, others helped with meals or kept the bathrooms clean.”
Veronika took charge at the registration desk, welcoming volunteers, drivers, journalists, and arriving refugees. She remembers the energy and positivity that surrounded her.
We all worked with high enthusiasm and energy. I really hope the refugees felt that spirit—it was comforting.
Language, trust and community
Scouts who spoke Ukrainian or Russian were placed at the front lines to help new arrivals feel safe and understood. “It was emotional and tough. But despite everything, everyone was motivated. We became a community, all supporting each other and working toward the same thing.”
She later volunteered at a refugee camp in Michalovce, where she continued registration work and coordinated international volunteers: “We spent a lot of time together, connected, and learned from each other every day. It felt like a family.”
This made me grateful to be alive. It restored my faith in others.
Personal transformation
The experience brought unexpected personal clarity. Veronika had been struggling with her studies and mental health, but working in crisis response gave her new perspective: “This experience opened my eyes. I witnessed the devastating struggles others were facing and suddenly, my own problems seemed different.”
She also witnessed the best of humanity in action: “The whole environment ran on acts of kindness—both among the refugees and the volunteers.”
A new purpose
Moved by the experience, Veronika decided to focus her psychology studies on clinical support for children in humanitarian crises: “It’s important that youth get involved in this kind of work. It shows them what they’re capable of and how they can make a real difference.”
About the author
The Knowledge Network – Staff member
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