World Humanitarian Day is annually observed on 19 August. So, to mark this date, throughout the week, we will introduce the case managers of the NGO Girls — people who daily work with difficult requests of participants of our programs, tirelessly changing their lives for the better.
Kateryna Muntian is a case manager in the project “Strengthening access and service provision for SRH and GBV support among conflict-affected women and girls in eastern and southern Ukraine”. Kateryna has her own difficult life experience: the occupation of her hometown, separation from her family, and finding herself in a new field during the full-scale war. However, she consciously chose the path of helping and supporting others.
"I was born in Dnipro, but after I got married, I moved to Berdiansk. So, this is my hometown. I had been living there for many years, and my career and business were there. I worked at the Berdiansk Commercial Sea Port, where I was an authorised representative for public procurement, which meant I was responsible for huge purchases worth millions. My husband and I also had a small business. After 24 February, we were under occupation for a long time because we didn't want to leave our property and business, as we had worked hard on them for a long time and had earned a lot.
But one day, we met some acquaintances who warned us that the occupying authorities were interested in our family and were asking questions about us. We immediately packed our essentials and left, because there was a high risk of ending up in a basement. After all, we worked at the port and had access to the information that could be of interest to the enemy, e.g., financial. So we had to leave almost everything behind. And my mum also remained under occupation.”
Kateryna shares that she came to humanitarian work through volunteering. At first, she helped elderly people in shelters, accompanied them in applying for pensions and other payments, and helped them receive social services. Kateryna joined the NGO Girls’ team after her maternity leave. Currently, she lives with her family in Zaporizhzhia, which is located close to the active combat zone, but she is not going to move further away.
“I will stay here, even though bombs are flying overhead. I'm just closer to home. I can't imagine going somewhere further away, like Lviv Oblast. It would be difficult for me there, but I can hold on here as it's only 200 km to my home."
I believe that we have helped everyone enormously — they have come back to life
There are many men among the people Kateryna helps. They have made up almost half of the 45 cases in six months. Most of them are former civilian prisoners who have survived conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). The case manager notes that significantly more men are finally willing to talk about their experiences and seek help now.
"Almost everyone remained silent for three years. And then, little by little, it started. It began with the first one, then he told another, and they started coming to me to tell me what had happened to them. Imagine how difficult it is for a man to talk about the sexual violence he experienced in captivity. They are embarrassed because I am a woman specialist. But they come and start sharing. They say they want to be heard because such fear destroys lives.
I believe that we have helped everyone enormously — they have come back to life. There are cases where the positive changes are extremely noticeable. For example, a person couldn't sleep, then worked with a psychologist, and their sleep was restored. Some people drowned their experiences in alcohol, but after coming to us, they got coded and started working. There are many who have finally found a loved one. Relationships in families have improved; some have had children. And all this is thanks to our support.”
Most women come with issues related to their experiences with GBV. Kateryna recalls a case involving one of the most egregious cases of violence. But thanks to a quick response, the woman got timely help.
"The mobile team learned about this case. There was a girl who was in the late stages of pregnancy. Her husband beat her very badly. The team referred her to me, and I responded immediately. We took the affected girl away from her abuser and provided her with a maternity kit. She gave birth to a healthy baby boy. After she was discharged from the maternity hospital, we provided her with all the necessary support, namely, psychological, legal, and financial. That girl went through a lot and never had anyone to lean on. Her parents were alcoholics, and then, as an adult, she experienced GBV. Now she is safe and has blossomed. She is working with a psychologist and is happy with her child."
I will do everything in my power
The daily work of a case manager is not easy, because you have to deal with the experiences of dozens of people who have survived captivity, various types of violence, and difficult life situations. Kateryna shares that she is inspired by people's gratitude, and that the most difficult thing is dealing with those who do not have this gratitude but, on the contrary, treat the services they receive with contempt. However, there are very few such people, the case manager notes.
"How do I recover? I take my son for a walk. And I enjoy watching him grow, laugh, and babble. I don't need anything else. It's so good to be able to distract myself, switch to my family, especially when you have a small child. I also read a lot. I don't like either psychology or novels, but I love thrillers. It's probably a very good way to switch from the reality we live in to something fictional and exciting.
I have adapted to reality and am working perfectly normally. When it's very scary, when I hear the explosions, I go out into the corridor, wait it out, and then continue working. I think I've already been through the worst, so it can't get any worse. I live on, move on, develop. I'm not depressed by what I've been through.”
We ask Kateryna what services are most in demand and what barriers to seeking help she still notices in people.
“Women consistently have the same requests — divorce and alimony. Many inquire about restraining orders for abusers, and I refer them to lawyers. There were five such inquiries just yesterday. There are numerous requests for financial assistance. Especially if people are internally displaced persons, they need everything: clothing, household appliances, and gadgets for children. I am always looking for organizations where I can refer them for such assistance. Men come to me asking for help in obtaining civilian prisoner status. They also need psychological support.
The barriers are also different. Men are still very shy and ashamed. And women, being in a cycle of violence, cannot break out of it. But we conduct a lot of information campaigns and various activities where we talk about violence and how to break this cycle. So, they learn and dare to reach out.”
The case manager shares that she would like to send a message to the world on behalf of all Ukrainians.
“I want to say that we Ukrainians are very hard-working, that is why we will lift Ukraine up, save people, and get everyone back on their feet. We will flourish, prosper, and definitely win. I can say for myself that I will work tirelessly for as long as it takes. And as long as I am working and people are coming to me, I never turn anyone away. I want to help everyone as much as possible. I think most people in Ukraine can say that they will do everything in their power for our victory."
The assistance provided by the case manager and the preparation of the material were made possible within the project “Strengthening access and service provision for SRH and GBV support among conflict-affected women and girls in eastern and southern Ukraine” in collaboration with the international humanitarian organization CARE, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany.
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