Three times uprooted: Nataliia’s story of survival in war-torn Ukraine

Nataliia, 33, once enjoyed the quiet rhythms of everyday life in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine. She worked at a bank, raised her two children, Alisa, 7, and Maksym, 8, and thought of the future in ordinary terms. Then war came, and the ordinary vanished.

“She [Alisa] nearly lost her voice to fear,” remembers Nataliia of those early days under relentless bombardment. The family fled first to Poland, then Denmark, before eventually returning to Ukraine. 

“I arrived here with nothing – no home, no job, no plan; Just my two kids and the clothes on our backs. The constant moving, the fear, the unknown… it was crushing.” By then, they were too weary to keep moving, too homesick to stay abroad. They landed in Lviv, one family out of many seeking safety, but they found themselves in a crowded shelter with more than 30 people in a single room.

Her story is one of millions. Nearly 10 million Ukrainians remain uprooted after more than three years of war, including around 3,7 million people who are displaced within the country and 6,9 million people who have fled abroad. Behind those numbers are families like Nataliia’s, stripped of stability and forced into an endless cycle of uncertainty.

"This place became our lifeline. They helped with everything, from how to get around the city, to finding a job, registering my kids for school, even therapy. Things that seem small, but when you’ve lost everything, they mean survival."

It was in that moment of despair when a social worker told Nataliia about the Halfway House, a World Vision-supported social apartment run by the Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health, and funded by World Vision US. It became, in her words, a lifeline: “That was the first time I felt like we could breathe.”

The Halfway House offers much more than a roof. It provides: safe temporary shelter, advice on navigating city bureaucracy, access to therapy, parenting workshops, art classes for children, and legal and employment support. It's designed for women and children, many who are displaced by war. or survivors of domestic violence.

Natalia said: “This place became our lifeline. They helped with everything, from how to get around the city, to finding a job, registering my kids for school, even therapy. Things that seem small, but when you’ve lost everything, they mean survival.” Thanks to this support, Natalia - who was a banker in Kharkiv before the war - is now training for a job with the regional electricity company in Lviv. 

The children, too, are beginning to heal. “It hit them hard. They got sick more often. Their behaviour changed. They were angry, loud. I didn’t recognise them. But now, with school, with support, they’re finally starting to get better.”

"Most arrive completely lost. But after just a few weeks, we start seeing a shift, more confidence, clearer plans, a sense of stability." 

The staff at the Halfway House see this transformation again and again: “We offer psychosocial support to help women release some of the stress. Our goal is to make them feel safe again, like they have a home,” said Iryna Samotis, one of the facilitators. 

“Most arrive completely lost. But after just a few weeks, we start seeing a shift, more confidence, clearer plans, a sense of stability,” shared Oksana Lagus, manager at the Halfway House. 

Even though Nataliia has found support, her extended family is still living near the frontlines, and the uncertainty of their safety weighs on her every day. The question of whether she will ever return home gnaws at her. “Have you ever taken a trip, knowing when you’ll leave and when you’ll return? Because it was your choice? Well, we didn’t choose this. We left to survive. We still don’t know if we’ll ever go back. And knowing your family is still in danger, it tears at you every second. It eats away at your mind.”

However difficult it gets, Nataliia still moves forward. “Until I found work, until I could put my kids in school, this place gave me peace of mind—a sense that I wasn’t alone anymore.”

Nataliia's story is one among millions, and it illustrates what’s possible when displacement is met with integrated support, combining safe shelter, psychosocial care, education, and livelihood assistance for mothers, children, and single parents uprooted by conflict. Such a holistic approach helps families not only survive but begin to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. 

World Vision has reached over 1.3 million people across Ukraine, including more than 163,000 children, delivering life-saving support through education, child protection, livelihoods, basic needs, psychosocial care, and cash assistance.

Story and photos by: Laurentia Jora, Advocacy and Communications Manager