Georgia church helps African medical students flee Ukraine as Russian troops advance
Students trapped in Ukraine amid Russian invasion fear for their futures
Dr. Promise Issac, a Nigerian-born doctor who calls Ukraine home, has reached out to Dr. Jamal Bryant at DeKalb County's New Birth Church to get help for African medical students trying to leave Ukraine. Tuesday, a couple of those students spoke to FOX 5 about fleeing Ukraine and their uncertain futures.
ATLANTA - Efforts to flee Ukraine continue with those who live there desperate to immigrate into neighboring countries and away from Russian aggression.
Two medical students who said they left Nigeria for a better life in Ukraine found themselves as refugees with uncertain futures.
Dr. Promise Issac, the Nigerian-born doctor who calls Ukraine home reached out to Dr. Jamal Bryant at DeKalb County’s New Birth Church to get help for African medical students trying to leave the country.
A couple of those students spoke with FOX 5 about their fleeing the country and their uncertain futures.
Esther Dabo and Litia Okechukwu were among the half-million people pressing through Ukraine’s western border. They said it was an incident they will never forget.
They said they couldn’t’ take anything but their sweater. They even left behind passport and money fearing the violence would escalate.
Esther had only three months left in medical school when Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine last week. Fearing the violent attacks would escalate, the 24-year-old Nigerian fled to Romainia, a 36 hour ordeal.
Leetia just made it to the Czeck Republic after a two-day trek but has no idea where to go or what to do next on her journey back to Nigeria.
The student's mentor, Dr. Promise Isaac, who graduated from med school in Ukraine ten years ago, said fleeing Ukraine is just the first step in a long journey with an uncertain future.
Dr. Isaac said thousands of medical students from Africa are still trapped in some of smaller Ukrainian cities, but he's hopeful international support and prayers will help ensure safe evacuations.
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