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Dear friend, As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reaches the two-year mark, Mercy Corps remains steadfast in providing ongoing relief to families affected by the conflict. The scale of humanitarian need is immense: 6.9 million people have been forced to flee Ukraine and 3.7 million people are internally displaced. Even for those who have returned homes, their lives remain upended, remaining constantly vigilant about their safety and lacking economic opportunities. Within days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Mercy Corps was on the ground delivering supplies and helping families find safe passage to places to stay. Read on below for the stories of families we’ve helped in Ukraine.
Eduard and Rima said the first days of the full-scale war were the hardest for their young family.
Then the shelling began, terrifying the children. Lora would scream for help with each explosion. As the attacks came closer, a bomb fell on their neighbor’s property, shattering the windows of their home — but, thankfully, no one was injured. The factory closed, leaving Eduard without work or a way to support his family. That’s when he began teaching himself about home repair. He began with light drywall and mudding work to repair their living room, and then made his way through the rest of the house, learning more about the trade with each room. He and a friend soon decided to take on clients. The family has received cash assistance from Mercy Corps while Eduard grows his new business. With winter setting in, it allowed the family to adequately prepare and ensure their children have enough food, clothing, warmth, and a safe space to call home.
Anton is determined to rebuild his business in Lviv. "We don’t have hope," he says. "We have plans."
One day, while waiting on a platform at the railway station on his commute home, he saw a military train heading in the opposite direction. It was full of tanks, weapons, and ammunition — and headed for the Russian border. He knew this was the beginning of the war. The next morning, Anton, his girlfriend, and his dog, along with a few friends, fled from Kharkiv, leaving his business behind. They ultimately settled in Lviv. He found work at an IT company to earn income, but he still had a passion for his business. So he found a factory in Lviv, hired the first few staff, and started over. With a grant from Mercy Corps, he purchased eight pieces of the equipment he had lost to the war. Anton plans to continue scaling up, creating job opportunities for others displaced by the war, and giving back to the community that helped him. "[When we escaped to western Ukraine,] they helped us, they gave us clothes, like mattresses, pillows, blankets, and everything," he says. "And maybe now it’s our turn."
In the first days of the war, Tetiana and her family spent most of their scant income on food but had no way to provide baby formula for their youngest child, Eva.
When a mandatory evacuation order came from the Ukrainian government for all families with children , Tetiana, her mother, Helyna, and her two-year-old, Eva fled to Mykolaiv. Her husband and her youngest son stayed behind to care for their animals. Her two older children, who are 19 and 21, found safe housing in other parts of Ukraine. With cash assistance from Mercy Corps, Tetiana secured a furnished apartment. The support was critical — the family had been relying on Helyna’s pension and stipend from the state to pay for food, but didn’t have enough to secure housing. While they are grateful to be safe, both Tetiana and Helyna are counting the days until their village is safe enough to return to. "Of course, I want to go home," Tetiana says. "If there was an opportunity, I would go home today, by God." Our global community is critical to helping people in places like Ukraine recover and rebuild from conflict and disaster. Will you consider making a donation today to help people in crisis zones around the world?
Sincerely, Mercy Corps |
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