YMCA Poland

The YMCA changed Jan Malecki's life.

In 1946, Jan Malecki was a nine-year-old Polish war orphan, one of an estimated million that survived World War II. He and many others found loving care at the YMCA home for displaced children in Poland. His ability to endure the burdens of war mirrored both the struggle of the Polish people and the YMCA.

The first YMCA secretaries arrived in 1919 after serving the needs of Polish soldiers in World War I. Their work began in large urban centers and spread across the country as they established programs which addressed family and child health education, skill development and youth leadership.

YMCAs thrived in Warsaw, Gydnia, Jelenia Gora, Krakow, Lodz, Lublin, Olsynln, Szczecin, Wroclaw and Zgorzelec. After the 1939 invasions, Polish YMCA leaders were removed by the Nazis, and many were executed for protesting the treatment of Polish Jews. During this time, YMCA Poland operated in exile to meet new needs, such as helping Polish refugees in other countries. For instance, over 1,700 Polish children were being cared for by the Polish YMCA operating in Tanganyika. YMCA Poland also helped 20,000 refugees in East Africa.

Children being cared for by the Polish YMCA.

YMCA World Service gave financial support to these efforts, as well as the YMCA's work among the hundreds of thousands of Polish prisoners of war in Germany.  Right after the war, YMCA World Service supported the immense effort to "Save the Children" among Polish orphans.

While the YMCA functioned during post-war rule, it really began to flourish again in recent decades. Today, YMCA Poland has facilities in every major Polish city.  YMCA Poland continues to adapt its programs to meet community needs, helping the Jan Maleckis of today to thrive through participation in YMCA activities organized and run by local leaders.