We go through the war together

Project: Provision of intersectoral humanitarian aid to the population affected by the conflict in Ukraine

The war brought trials to every Ukrainian, but we overcame these difficulties together. Today we will tell the stories of two families: Oleksii Oleksandrovych from Tsarichanka, Dnipropetrovsk region, and Karina Kuzmivna from Kamiansky, Zaporizhzhia region. Their stories exemplify the resilience and mutual assistance of Ukrainians in difficult times.

Oleksiy, a 44-year-old man from the Dnipropetrovsk region, knows about challenges, not by hearsay. He has been physically challenged since 2014. Before that, Mr. Oleksiy built a career in the region’s gasification field, working his way up from the dispatcher to the head of the service center.

Oleksii Oleksandrovych now lives with his 14-year-old son and his mother, who also has a disability. The full-scale invasion changed their lives, as well as the lives of millions of Ukrainians. “As I remember now, everyone was panicking,” the man recalls the beginning of the war. Mother and son often hid in the basement, while he stayed in the apartment. New challenges arose during the first weeks of the war. “Power outages, refrigerators – everything was falling apart,” says Mr. Oleksii. The family had to adapt to the new realities of life.

Oleksii Oleksandrovych found out about help from the “Arms of Mercy” Charitable Foundation through the Social Security service because they are a low-income family. His son and niece helped fill out the paperwork.

Financial assistance became a significant support for the family. The man says: “With the money I received, I put a door in the apartment, because it was cold, and air was constantly passing through.” This help is vital, given the family’s modest income. Oleksiy’s pension is small, and his mother’s pension is slightly larger due to the additional payment for her late military husband. “Financial aid helped a lot, it helps to satisfy all basic needs. And to fulfill my child’s dream to get a bicycle,” Oleksiy shares. When asked about his dream, the man, like many Ukrainians, simply answers: “For the war to end”

Before the war, 50-year-old Karina Kuzmivna worked as a controller at Kamianskiy Vodokanal. Her husband was a farmer. The couple has raised two children: a daughter who’s already moved out, and a son who lives with his parents. The family life was typical for the countryside: own house, farm, flowers in the yard, pets, and domestic animals. But everything changed with the start of a full-scale invasion. “They broke into, armored vehicles appeared in my garden,” Ms. Karina recalls the beginning of the occupation.

Although the family did not hide in the basement, they tried their best to protect their home. The situation rapidly got worse, and when the shelling began, it became clear that it was necessary to evacuate. Karina Kuzmivna left on her own while there was still such an opportunity. The fighting caused significant damage to the center of the village. “The chance for survival led through our street,” she explains, recalling those terrible days.

Now Mrs. Karina and her husband live in Zaporizhzhia, they are still not able to return to their home. The couple is renting and both have recently found work while trying to settle into a new place.

Karina Kuzmivna learned about support from the “Arms of Mercy” Charitable Foundation from acquaintances. “Of course, this support helped a lot. We were able to pay utilities for the apartment,” says the woman. This help was especially valuable given her husband’s health. “He constantly takes medication and is under medical supervision. He has problems with blood pressure, he had an operation due to his cancer treatment,” the woman shares.

The story of Karina Kuzmivna and Oleksiy Oleksandrovych vividly demonstrates how important support is for people. This kind of help not only provides necessities but also enables us to take care of the health of loved ones during these challenging times.

Thank you to everyone who tirelessly supports people in need. Special thanks to World Vision International and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) for the financial support that makes our mission possible. Your concern has allowed us to continue our work, giving hope and help to those who need it.

Together, step by step, we are bringing the day when every person will be able to live a peaceful life.