Antonina, a mother of six, was forced to flee her home in Polonne, Zaporizhzhia, when Russian troops occupied the city. Life before the war was stable—she had a job she loved in ceramics, and although divorced, her husband provided financial support. But when the invasion began, the city was plunged into chaos, with constant explosions, power outages, and food shortages. Realizing they had no choice, Antonina, her brother, and daughter-in-law evacuated on foot with the children, making multiple dangerous trips to ensure everyone’s safety. After months in temporary shelters, they found refuge in Staryi Khutir, Poltava region, where support from the Family to Family project helped them rebuild their lives, providing essentials like a refrigerator, boiler, and firewood.

Now, Antonina’s children study online, though distance from the city limits their activities. Despite the hardships, her older sons show ingenuity, fixing electrical items and even creating a plowing device from a broken bicycle. Their greatest wish is to return home. With some relatives still under occupation and struggling without electricity, Antonina clings to hope. “We all live with the thought of victory,” she says. “And that I will finally be able to hug my dearest people.”

As part of our Ukraine response, we are supporting CRS Moldova to provide transitional accommodation to Ukrainians displaced by the conflict. The program also provides financial support to families like Olga's, who are housing Ukranian refugees in their homes. 

"I was watching TV, and I started to cry, seeing what destruction there is in Ukraine...when [the refugees] got to my house, those kids, they started crying and got on their knees. And they say, "Mum, it is so good here."'

- Olga

Ihor and Tofig, longtime neighbors in Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast, lost their homes and suffered severe injuries due to shelling. Ihor lost part of his arm, while Tofig endured multiple wounds. After extensive treatment, they found refuge in a shelter run by Caritas Ukraine. "I woke up and I had literally nothing: no clothes, no documents, no idea what to do next," Ihor recalls of his first morning after evacuation.

At Caritas Donetsk in Dnipro, case manager Samira Neymatova helped them obtain essential documents, regain social benefits, and access legal and psychological support. Tofig has received a new passport and dreams of returning home, while Ihor, awaiting one more surgery, remains optimistic. Despite their hardships, the men hold onto hope, saying, "The main thing is that when the war ends, we can rebuild."

23-year-old Ilyena, her husband Andrei and their 9-month-old son Bagdan, decided to flee Kharkiv. After sheltering in a crowded metro station, they walked for hours through dark metro tunnels until they reached their car. It took them six days to drive to the Polish border. After they crossed, volunteers from Caritas Poland helped Illyena access a sheltered room for mothers and children, where she can access the necessities she needs to care for Bagdan. Andrej had to stay behind as most Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 cannot leave the country.  

The Caritas medical centre for palliative care in Voinyliv, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast provides essential care, medication, and psychosocial support to elderly patients, many of whom have been displaced by the war. Among them is Petro, a former construction worker from Kherson, who lost his wife amidst the hardships of war. After enduring bombings, power cuts, and a life-threatening infection that nearly cost him his leg, Petro was transferred to Ivano-Frankivsk, uncertain of what awaited him.

“When I arrived, it felt like being born again,” Petro shares. “I’ve never met such kind people. When I arrived here, I felt worthless. But now, I feel human again.” Though his children live abroad, Petro has found a new home at the centre, where he hopes to spend his remaining days in peace.