Displaced in Ukraine: Fleeing with 5 children and 1 suitcase

Two and a half years into the invasion, the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate. An escalation of hostilities in May 2024 resulted in the widening of the scope of ground fighting, leading to the largest wave of displacement inside the country in over a year. More than 18,000 people in the Kharkiv region were forced to flee their homes. 

They now join the 3.7 million Ukrainians who are internally displaced within the country. Nearly double that number — a staggering 6.5 million — have become refugees and asylum seekers abroad, over 90% of them having temporarily resettled in neighboring European countries. Many have also made their way to the U.S. The number of people displaced because of the war, as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, is approximately a third of the total population of Texas.

These developments in Ukraine are part of a wider global picture where over 120 million people are currently estimated to be forcibly displaced; that is the equivalent of 1 in every 69 people who have been forced to leave their homeland, nearly double the 1 in 125 people who were displaced a decade ago. World Relief, motivated by our mission to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church, has partnered with numerous Ukrainian organizations to deliver vital support in response to the enormous needs in the country.

From the earliest days of the war, we have been responding to urgent needs directly on the ground, providing shelter, food and psychosocial support. Through trusted partners in the region, we have reached over 345,000 individuals in Ukraine and surrounding countries. And with your help, we have served over 5,000 Ukrainians in the U.S. with support including language classes, cultural adjustment resources, job and housing assistance and more since the start of the war.

Displaced: One Family’s Story

Lyubov and her family experienced this support while participating in a World Relief-funded program run by a local church-based organization, Save a Life, in Zaporizhzhia. This is a city located in the east of Ukraine, less than 31 miles from the frontlines.

In early 2022, Lyubov and her husband found themselves uprooted from their native city near the Russian border due to the escalating conflict and then war, taking with them their five children and just one bag of belongings. They settled in a safer Zaporizhzhia city along the meandering Dnieper River to wait out the conflict until they could return home. There, they spent their last funds toward finding an apartment for the family to rent. Away from their previous work and connections, they were relying on support from volunteers and charitable organizations to survive.

“By chance, I met a local woman while waiting at the social security office,” recalls Lyubov. “Little did I know she would lead me to the Life Center [where Safe a Live operates], a place that became our lifeline.”

World Relief’s partner Save a Life works at the Life Centre with pregnant women and mothers of newborns, providing economic assistance and much-needed support in this time of war.

Participants in the program receive skills-building training, therapy sessions and an opportunity to engage in social activities that provide displaced persons with valuable new connections as they adjust to life in a new city under wartime conditions.

“It wasn’t like any other center where you come for help and leave,” Lyubov explains. “Here, they comprehensively care for every mother, every child, every woman preparing for motherhood.”

The leadership of the Life Centre, who are all actively involved in the local church, have also participated in World Relief’s professional capacity-building training for local humanitarian organizations. These workshops were designed to equip them with more skills to deal with the common mental health challenges that arise during war.

While the traumas of war impact all aspects of society, displaced persons are disproportionately more likely to suffer. There are 226,300 vulnerable displaced persons in the Zaporizhzhia region where the Life Centre is located.

For nearly two years, Lyubov has found sanctuary at the Life Center. “It’s not just about the support we receive,” she told us in gratitude. “It’s the psychological help, the friendships, and the feeling of community that have made a real difference.”

“The volunteers at the Life Center have hearts as open as their [the center’s] doors,” she adds. “They’re always ready to lend a hand, no matter what.”

Despite the challenges of displacement and increasing uncertainty in her new home, Lyubov’s experience at the Life Center has transformed her. “I’ve become more open-hearted and eager to give back,” she reflects. “I’ve learned so much here, not just about receiving help but about offering it to others who are struggling.”

Days when she can’t visit the Life Center are difficult. “Each visit feels like a break from our daily struggles,” Lyubov admits. “It’s a place where I can connect with others and feel valued.” About 100 women and children visit the center each month. 

Since October 2023, World Relief’s programming related to mental health and psychosocial issues has provided critical support to over 3,000 Ukrainians who are in need. Our programs work with displaced and vulnerable people not only in Zaporizhzhia, but in six other Ukrainian regions that have been greatly impacted by the war.

In the coming months, our team will also be starting vital winterisation projects in the highest-need regions, as well as child protection and education programs. Our Ukrainian office will continue to work alongside those most in need during this continuing humanitarian crisis.

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