War in Ukraine: testimonies from the displaced

Support for children in a shelter. The story of Yulia and Serhiy 

Because of the war in Ukraine, 40-year-old Yulia from Kramatorsk, Donetska Oblast, had to leave her home with her 13-year-old son Serhiy, her mother and father, who has a disability. The family left Kramatorsk on March 15, 2022, while Yulia’s husband remained.   

At first, Yulia and her family moved to Dnipro, but they still felt unsafe there. With the help of social media, the family found shelter in the village of Polianytsia, Ivano-Frankivska Oblast, where they have been living for two years.   

Adapting to a new life was not easy for the family. Yulia coped with it with the support of her husband and mother, and a year ago she found herself working as the administrator of the shelter. Serhiy was having a hard time, but in the shelter he found support from sociable friends who, like him, felt anxious and homesick. A total of 8 children lives in the shelter, only one of whom attends school, while the rest study online.  

The Première Urgence Internationale’s integrated emergency response team visited the collective center, where the team’s psychologist held a recreational activity with the children. PUI also provided the shelter with a box for children aged 5 to 15 years, containing a variety of items that stimulate imagination and creativity. These are puzzles, drawing and creativity kits, puppet theater toys, balls, coloring books, board games, pencils, plasticine, and crayons.  

These items should help the young residents of the shelter express their emotional state, create their own safe place and space, and reduce internal tension and anxiety.   

“This children’s set not only keeps my son entertained for hours on end,” emphasizes Yulia, “but also helps him develop important skills. He can build, draw, pretend and much more. It’s a great alternative to gadgets and TV, because it allows him to spend time actively and learn through play. I also like that my son can play with this set with his friends. They come up with different stories and adventures.” 

Supporting Mykhailo after his mine injury  

Mykhailo is 65 years old. During the occupation of the village where he lives, Nova Husarivka, Kharkivska Oblast, fields, roads, and private territories were mined. One day, when Mykhailo was clearing branches near his house, there was an explosion. He stepped on a mine that was hidden in the grass. Thanks to the quick actions of his son and a neighbor who provided first aid and the prompt response of medical services, Mykhailo was taken to a hospital in Balakliya.  

 Mykhailo’s wife contacted the mobile team of Première Urgence Internationale, which provided her husband with comprehensive support to stabilize his physical and mental condition. The PUI doctor conducted a thorough examination and prescribed the necessary treatment, and the team’s psychologist conducted several therapy sessions. The psychologist’s support helped Mykhailo overcome the consequences of his trauma, including post-traumatic stress and depression, as well as find internal resources for his future life, cope with his fears and restore his faith in himself. The social worker helped Mykhailo and his family gain access to social support programs.  

Mykhailo shares that he is living a full life again, without losing hope for the future.  

Renovation for Valentina’s new home  

Valentyna is 24 years old. Before the war in Ukraine, she was a housewife, and her husband Denys worked at a mine in Novohrodivka, Pokrovsk district of Donetska Oblast.  

The destruction of civilian infrastructure in their hometown resulted in constant interruptions in water and electricity supply. Valentyna’s family, as well as her brother’s family, were forced to move to the village of Lezhyne, Zaporizka Oblast, where local residents provided them with a house. This house became a new beginning for the family, although it needed repairs.  

During a visit to the village council in a neighboring village, Valentyna learned about registration for cash assistance from Première Urgence Internationale in Lezhyne.  

Thanks to this assistance, Valentyna’s family will be able to repair the house they were given to use and build a comfortable life in a new place.  

These initiatives are made possible thanks to the support of the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).

Learn more about our actions in Ukraine.