A multi-generational story of endurance

"Mom, there's been an attack. The building of our collective centre was hit," Nadiia heard the voice say at the other end of the phone. "But please don’t worry, we are safe."

In early April, Nadiia, 65, a Dnipro city resident, was attending an evening church service for peace in Ukraine when she received a call from her daughter.  

She immediately hurried back to the temporary shelter, commonly referred to as a collective centre. It became home for Nadiia, her daughter and granddaughter a year ago, when they fled their hometown in the Luhansk Region. They braced for yet another ordeal. 

Making her way through the city, Nadiia’s main concern was her 11-year-old granddaughter, Alisa, born with a disability and immobile.  

"All our lives revolve around Alisa," Nadiia explained tearfully. "We tried to comfort her in every possible way. I cannot express how difficult it was to leave our home seeking safety, only to find that safety remains elusive even here, far from the front lines." 

When she arrived at the collective centre, Nadiia found her daughter and Alisa in distress following the attack and comforted them. Several weeks later, they regained their footing. She explained: "Our family received assistance from psychologists, which greatly aided our recovery from this latest trauma." 

Nadiia expressed gratitude for the support her family received from humanitarian organizations before the attack in April: 

"Thanks to the volunteers and aid workers, we were able to flee in the first place. And upon arriving in Dnipro, they helped us arrange a space for a displaced child, provided a wheelchair, household items and more. The local community was very kind, sharing food and clothes with us." 

Humanitarian organizations had already helped repair the building where displaced families found shelter. But they will now have to repair it again. 

Following the incident, psychologists from the NGO Right to Protection swiftly intervened to assist people affected at the collective centre. Witnessing the attack's profound toll on people such as Nadiia, the mental health and psychosocial support team offered counselling sessions to help them process their emotions and fears. Nadiia and her family, in particular, received counselling to help them develop effective coping mechanisms. Through these efforts, they regained a sense of stability and hope amid the fear and uncertainty caused by the war. 

"Despite all the difficulties, I believe that one day we will be able to return to our peaceful home where we can live without fear," Nadiia concluded.