Resilience amidst adversity: Displaced Ukrainian family starts a long journey full of hope

Vasylkiv, Kyiv Region - Even before the World Vision team entered the yard where the Prokoshyn family lives, a little fair-haired girl ran out to meet them. She was not afraid of anyone and immediately began to get to know and hug the team.

That was four-year-old Nicole, who had to flee her picturesque town Primorske, located in the Kherson region of Ukraine, with her mother Kateryna, her father Oleksandr, and two-year-old brother Dima. 

Unfortunately, their town has fallen under occupation. They endured the difficulties of living in these circumstances for three long and difficult months. Their daily lives were filled with fear and uncertainty.

The constant sounds of explosions, both day and night, had taken a toll on their family. Nicole, once an outgoing child, became withdrawn and struggled to connect with others.

“We were celebrating New Year’s Eve when suddenly the attack started. The children were scared, and Nicole was asking questions. I couldn’t find any other explanations but to say it was Santa Claus bringing the gifts to them. Fortunately, they believed me,” shares Kateryna, a mother of two, who is currently on maternity leave.

Kateryna and her husband Oleksandr were determined to protect their children and provide them with a better future. They made the brave decision to leave their town and seek shelter in a safer place, despite the challenges that lay ahead.

“We were afraid for our lives and for the lives of our children. It was very difficult to live according to the rules of people with weapons because everything was very strict. Our freedom was restricted,” shares Oleksandr, who is temporarily unemployed.

We are very glad that we were able to find shelter here. Now we are starting to build life almost from scratch because almost everything is left in our town.

He adds: “The evacuation itself was very difficult, we spent a lot of time and effort on it. We saw how people turned back and told us that nothing would work, there was no need to torture the children.”

Their journey was full of challenges. They had to pass through 60 checkpoints, constantly being stopped and questioned. With every checkpoint, their anxiety grew, especially when they thought about the well-being of their kids.

“Can you imagine how hard it was? We were driving for the whole day but managed to cover just 300 kilometers,” reminds Kateryna.

Finding shelter in the Kyiv region brought them a glimmer of hope. The Prokoshyn family lives in a mobile house with their close friends, who also have small children. They divided the responsibilities among themselves and now are taking care of the children together.

“We are very glad that we were able to find shelter here. Now we are starting to build life almost from scratch because almost everything is left in our town,” says Kateryna.

Kateryna’s family found solace and support from organizations like World Vision and Youth Movement Be Free (YMBF). The assistance they received strengthened their resolve and gave them the courage to move forward.

“Such stories like Kateryna's inspire our team and me to work even more. It's hard to imagine how many children suffer from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, we're ready to stand alongside and support the most vulnerable,” says Tetyana Mamysheva, who works as Partnership Implementation Coordinator at World Vision.

Within the project, World Vision and YMBF have distributed Institutional hygiene kits and other non-food items. This support was possible thanks to our donors - USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), Ukraine Response Consortium, and ACTED Ukraine.

“In this collective center, we received food and the necessary hygiene products. It was hard to even dream about it. We did not think that we would be greeted like this. Thank you very much for your support!” tells Kateryna and Oleksandr.

Despite their hardships, Kateryna and Oleksandr have enough energy to stay strong and continue their lives. They hold onto hope, knowing that one day, they will be able to make that journey back home.

Story and photos by Oleksandra Shapkina, Communications Officer