Heartwarming footage has captured the moment a young Ukrainian cried upon seeing the ocean for the first time after arriving in Australia – thanks to the efforts of one Sydney woman determined to help those flee the war-torn country.
Vlada Makushina, 21, and Maria Borysiak, 19, landed in Australia on Tuesday after a treacherous journey that involved crossing the Ukraine border into Poland and bussing across Europe for a flight to Sydney.
Touching video shows the moment Ms Makushina sees the Pacific Ocean in Sydney for the first time – exclaiming: ‘Oh yes! This is the ocean!
‘Oh my God! I’m crying,’ she is heard saying in between tears.
Seeing the ocean had been a dream for Ms Makushina, who had been forced to sleep on the floor of her apartment to avoid damage from air raids in Ukraine.
Vlada Makushina, 21, is emotional after seeing the ocean for the first time. She landed in Australia this week from Ukraine
Jasmine Straga (pictured left with Ms Makushina) helped Ms Makushina and friend Maria Borysiak, 19, leave Ukraine for Australia
‘I can’t believe I’m here, it’s like a fairytale,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’ve had a dream for more than five years to see the ocean and now I can have breakfast next to it – I’m so happy.’
Jasmine Straga, from Dee Why in Sydney’s northern beaches, is the woman behind the refugees’ arrival Down Under.
Ms Straga has been helping coordinate the relocation of students in Ukraine that were left stranded amid the conflict with Russia.
She works on the board of the World Circus Federation which has successfully helped relocate more than 260 Ukrainians studying at the Kyiv Academy of Variety Arts and Circus – including Ms Makushina and Ms Borysiak – aged between 14 and 21 around the world.
The academy was forced to close amid the violence with Russia, with many students now spending their days hiding in bunkers.
Ms Makushina and Ms Borysiak are seen at Singapore Airport on their way to Australia where they have a scholarship to attend a performing arts school
Ms Straga and First Deputy Director of the Kyiv Academy, Nina Araya, have started fundraising to help organise flights, accommodation and transport out of Kyiv for the students.
Many have had to leave their families behind and for some scholarships have been arranged for them to study at other performing arts schools across the globe.
Ms Makushina and Ms Borysiak are the first from Ukraine to touch down in Australia, with Ms Straga using her friends and colleagues in the preforming arts industry to help arrange their exit.
‘I speak to my family and friends everyday because I need to know that everything’s OK,’ Ms Makushina said.
Ms Borysiak, whose family had a bunker to retreat to in Ukraine, said her mother was relieved she was finally in a safe place.
Ms Straga (right) is seen with the two Ukrainians after their journey to Australia. Ms Straga, who is on the board for the World Circus Federation, has helped relocate performing arts students from Kyiv
‘Every minute it’s like ”oh my gosh, we are here in Sydney”, we really are here,’ she said.
Ms Straga said many of the Kyiv students had been offered places at other performing arts schools around Europe.
The families of students already attending have selflessly taken the refugees in. One family in Germany has housed five students.
‘Vlada was sleeping on the floor of her apartment because she didn’t have a safe bunker to go to,’ Ms Straga said.
‘She couldn’t sleep in the bedrooms because the windows would shatter and we’d hear the sirens going when we spoke to her.’
The pair are now staying with a friend of Ms Straga’s on the Central Coast and have been given scholarships to a performing arts academy in Tuggerah.
The pair were given free dance shoes by a Sydney store as local businesses help them settle into life in Australia
But their plight isn’t over yet as the Ukrainians can only stay for three months under a visitor visa.
The Australian government announced in March it was introducing a temporary humanitarian visa which would allow refugees from Ukraine to live in Australia for three years where they can work, study and access Medicare.
Ms Straga said since the announcement last month, nothing more has been said and she and the two students are waiting in limbo.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment.
Ms Straga is prepared to put the women on student visas but says this will mean they can’t access Medicare or financial support.
The pair are unable to be on refugee visas because they are hoping to return home to Ukraine in six months – if it is safe to do so.
‘Vlada said when she hit the Poland border she was so emotional because she could never go back to the Ukraine she once knew,’ Ms Straga said.
A GoFundMe has been started to raise money for her cause, meanwhile businesses around Sydney have donated to help Ms Makushina and Ms Borysiak settle in.
The pair will climb the Harbour Bridge on Wednesday and visit Madame Tussauds wax museum in Sydney. Local hairdressers and dance stores have also lent a helping hand.
Ms Borysiak and Ms Makushina have been supported by local businesses in Sydney
