One year ago tomorrow, Oksana was asleep next to her partner in their home in Chornobayivka with her two children in the next room.
Anastasiia, enthralled in newlywed bliss, was living outside of Mariupol with her husband. They had just found out she was pregnant with twins.
And Viktoria in Lviv was in the middle of the 11th grade, talking with her friends about which universities she wanted to apply for.
It's been one year since everything changed in an instant for Oksana, Anastasiia, and Viktoria. They woke up to bombings, air sirens, and the news that had hoped would never come: they were living in a war zone. Today, however, I want to share with you how, in the darkest of times, you can reach women and girls with the gift of hope.
After the war broke out, Oksana began to experience abuse at the hands of her husband. The stress of the war had sent him over the edge. “I imagined what could happen if he came here. He might stand by the door again and then all the screams, rows, and threats would resume. I really didn't want that. I was very scared and didn't know what to do.”
Anastasiia fled her home, alone, to give birth safely in another part of the country. “I collected my thoughts and decided to drive out of the city by car. They searched me at all the checkpoints, but they did not notice that I was pregnant—probably because I was so thin.”
And Viktoria left school to help those fleeing the war to find a new home. “I never thought I would be involved in this kind of activity – helping hundreds of people a day looking for transport to the border or distracting them from horrible thoughts.”
Your support has the power to deliver critical health care in the worst moments of a woman or girl's life. Oksana received violence prevention and protection services and now she and her children are safe from harm. Anastasiia received prenatal care and safely gave birth to two healthy babies with the support of UNFPA. Viktoria accessed mental health counseling and feels hopeful for her future and the future of her country.
As this war continues, we will remain in Ukraine and in neighboring countries, ensuring every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every woman and girl can reach her fullest potential. But we need your help to make this work possible.
Your gift will deliver lifesaving sexual and reproductive health care to women and girls in more than 150 countries around the world. Thank you for being there for every woman and girl.
