Træna is an island community at the far end of the sea gap on the Helgeland coast, and consists of several small fishing villages. Never before have they accepted refugees; before now. After the war broke out in Ukraine, all municipalities in Norway were asked by IMDI if they could accept refugees. Træna was among those who signed up. A family of four and a married couple of two have arrived in the last week. They are all ready to build a new life on Selvær together with 50 other residents. – We felt at home when we arrived. Everyone is friendly to us, says Oksana Daniieva. Mother: – The kids are adapting Together with her husband Vitalii Haiovyi, and their two children Vitalina Haiova and Sofiia Daniieva, they have been in Selvær for two days. Ferda has left Volnovakha. A city in Donetsk in Ukraine with approximately 21,000 inhabitants. Around the table in the kitchen, the married couple are smiling. Selvær is part of Træna municipality, where the municipal center is located on Husøy. Træna lies at the very end of the sea gap on the Helgeland coast, 33 nautical miles from the mainland. A face more marked by seriousness emerges in what they tell about the conditions in their own homeland. The house is destroyed and they have no place they could have bid. – There was nothing else to do but leave, she says. But the smile quickly returns when the mother looks in the direction where the two daughters are playing on the sofa. With a bag full of toys that the local population has given away. They came to Norway two months ago. The family likes Selvær and would like to live here in the long term, if they are allowed. – The children were nervous at the start and stressed about everything happening so quickly. But now it’s better. They adapt. For the first time, Træna municipality in the sea gap in Nordland has settled refugees. Oksana Daniieva and Vitalii Haiovyi arrived together with their two children this week. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news And so does the married couple. Neither the light in the north nor the rain is a problem. – It should go well. All situations have their pluses and minuses, says the father of the family, Vitalii Haiovyi. Population increase of 20 per cent Fresh figures from the Directorate of Integration and Diversity show that 12,328 refugees from Ukraine have received temporary collective protection in Norway. Mayor of Træna municipality, Jan Helge Andersen. Photo: Frank Nygård / news Previously, the fishing village of Selvær had around 50 inhabitants. According to the plan, ten people will settle here, which will lead to a population increase of 20 per cent. – This is good for Træna and especially for Selvær. We lack residents, and Selvær is a place from which many have moved, says mayor of the municipality, Jan Helge Andersen (Ap). The Træna island community has a major shortage of housing. When the municipality went out and called for houses for the refugees, it was only in Selvær that there were houses available. – We will manage this with a good spirit of service and good people who want to take care of people who need help, says the mayor of Træna. Gets training in Norwegian Under normal circumstances, the governing authority sets requirements for the municipalities that will settle refugees. This applies, among other things, to capacity, competence and the labor market in the region. But due to the expected flow of people from Ukraine, these requirements have been set aside. When news spoke to IMDI in July, they were happy that the municipality is standing up. Halwan Ibrahim responded as follows to questions about whether it is safe to settle vulnerable people in a small island community far out in the sea gap: – The municipalities are best suited to evaluate their own capacity and competence before agreeing to settle refugees. Then I must stress that it is essential to use the whole country if we are to manage to settle the large number of refugees who are coming. Ibrahim added that all refugees will be offered an introduction program and Norwegian training regardless of where they are settled. Mayor Jan Helge Andersen says that everyone will receive training in Norwegian. The refugees have already signed up for the integration programme. Want to learn Norwegian – We have a good health offer. A GP is on the island every hour of every day, adds Andersen. They share a psychologist with Lurøy and Rødøy. – If it should turn out that they need a psychologist, how does it work when there are several municipalities that share one psychologist? The married couple Taher Askiarov and Svitlana Askiarov are grateful that the locals have welcomed them. Photo: Marius Guttormsen / news – There is nothing to prevent the psychologist from coming out to Selvær if there is a need for it. Oksana Daniieva and Vitalii Haiovyi would like to learn the language. Until then, a lot goes into body language, and an interpreter occasionally. Taher Askiarov and his wife Svitlana Askiarov want the same. He wanted to help in the war, but was told he was too old. – We are so grateful to the locals who have welcomed us so well. And to the owners of the house who have given us shelter. We hope to become part of the community here, he says.
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The Ukrainian refugees increase the population by 20 percent – news Nordland
