Oksana is a 34-year-old resident of the village of Voznesenske in the Mykolaiv region, a mother of five children, two of whom are children with disabilities. Her life changed forever after the death of her husband at the front. Later, the family was struck by a new misfortune — a fire that destroyed their home. Oksana was left with her children without a roof over their heads, without the support of a partner, and without the necessary documents. The family lost their property in the fire, and their daughter needed a wheelchair, as without it she was unable to move around. The woman was in dire need of legal, psychological, and material support.
Immediately after the fire, the village council came to help. The social service promptly provided the family with food packages, hygiene items, clothing, and the essentials for the temporary restoration of daily life. At present, the community is actively working on the issue of purchasing housing for Oksana and her children. This support became the first important step towards stabilizing the family's life.
However, the community support could not completely eliminate the critical risks faced by the family.
At that moment, a social service worker advised Oksana to attend a meeting with the mobile team of the public organization “Divchata” (“Girls”): “They come to help — maybe this is exactly what you need right now.” Oksana decided to give it a try. And this decision became a turning point.
The psychologist from the mobile team was one of the first to see the deep exhaustion and despair in the woman’s eyes. She created a space where Oksana was able to speak openly about her pain for the first time. “At first, I just listened. In crisis situations, the main thing is not to tell someone how to live, but to be there. This gives the person a feeling: ‘I’m still here, I am seen,’” says the psychologist from the NGO “Divchata.” After the first session, Oksana shared that, for the first time in a long while, she was able to fall asleep peacefully. Her emotional state gradually stabilized, and she began to feel inner strength.
The mobile team’s social worker conducted an assessment of the family’s needs. This made it possible to accurately determine what exactly Oksana and her children needed in order to feel safe. After assessing the situation, a decision was made to provide the family with Individual Protection Assistance, which made it possible to secure temporary housing, purchase a wheelchair for the daughter, and cover expenses related to the restoration of documents.
In addition, Oksana’s children were referred to another organization for individual social support within the framework of child protection.
Thanks to Individual Protection Assistance, the family was able to significantly reduce the risks associated with the loss of housing, access to services, isolation, and psychological vulnerability. The assistance not only stabilized their situation but also became a step toward restoring their sense of safety, dignity, and control over their own lives.
This story is not only about loss but also about the power of support and the importance of timely targeted Individual Protection Assistance. In her most difficult moment, Oksana was not left alone with her grief — and this became the first step towards rebuilding her life.
