Serhii is a man with deep inner strength and responsibility for his family. He is the son of a deceased civilian prisoner from Izium. The loss of a loved one and the horrors of the occupation left a deep mark on Serhii's life. After the liberation of the territories, he had to not only rebuild his life but also relearn how to live in a reality where the war had taken away what was most precious to him.
He lives in the Balakliia community with his wife and young son now. Despite the pain, he retained his dignity, love for his family, and desire to move forward. At the time of contacting the NGO Girls, Serhii had two key needs: legal advice related to the circumstances of his father's death and the restoration of documents, as well as stabilization of his psychological state, as his experiences had left him with significant emotional trauma. But, as often happens, there was more to it than that. He needed support, understanding, and the feeling that there were people around him who would not leave him alone with bureaucracy and pain.
The case manager of the NGO Girls took a comprehensive approach to helping Serhii, combining psychological, social, legal, and material support. The specialist managed to organize professional psychological assistance, which improved Serhii's emotional state, to provide him with legal support and to begin the process of restoring the necessary documents. The case manager also referred the family to partner organizations, where they received the necessary medicines for Serhii and his wife and a set of dishes. The NGO Girls provided financial assistance, which allowed Serhii to cover the family's basic needs and repair the drainage system in the house.
The entire process was accompanied by consultations, constant information about support opportunities, and care from specialists. As a result, the man regained stability and inner strength.
Today, Serhii has regained his psychological balance and is working on his documents. He has been provided with basic household resources, has improved his family's living conditions through repairs, and feels that he has a supportive community around him.
His journey is an example of how a combination of professional help and humanity can become the foundation for recovery after loss. “When there are people around who understand and are willing to help, it becomes easier to move on. Even after everything I've been through,” Serhii shares.
This story reminds us that case management is not just about support and services. It is about seeing a person as a whole, accepting their pain, respecting their experience, and creating conditions in which they can stand firm again.
The assistance is provided within the framework of the project “Comprehensive psychosocial rehabilitation for survivors of captivity, their families and families of missing persons” with the support of German Doctors e.V.
