Resilience amid ruins: restarting life in war-torn Kherson
Hailing from the village of Kizomys in Kherson Oblast, the Zelinsky family led an almost idyllic life at the Dnipro estuary. Before the war, they dreamed about a big family trip, but this became reality for all the wrong reasons. Fleeing the occupation, the Zelinskys have lived in several shelters all over Western Ukraine before finally returning to Kherson Oblast – only to find their house in ruins. The displaced family now resides in a rented flat in frontline Kherson city, struggling financially. Help came just at the right time with the cash assistance provided by the Ukraine Response Consortium, an alliance of NGOs with the financial backing of the American People through USAID.
The family has survived many invasions of their home during occupation. “We were most afraid for our daughters during the house searches” – says Yulia, the mother of the family, but the soldiers were only interested in her husband, a member of the State Emergency Service. Living in their own house like a stranger or some criminal, being searched twice a week, was too unbearable, so they decided to look for a better life, because “our psyche could not stand it,” says the mother of the family.
The family has survived many invasions of their home during occupation. “We were most afraid for our daughters during the house searches” – says Yulia, the mother of the family, but the soldiers were only interested in her husband, a member of the State Emergency Service. Living in their own house like a stranger or some criminal, being searched twice a week, was too unbearable, so they decided to look for a better life, because “our psyche could not stand it,” says the mother of the family.
Embarking on a long journey across Ukraine instead of the sought-after tourist trip, they never really found their place outside of their broader region. They kept looking for months and in many places – from Vinnytsia in western Ukraine to Odesa in the south, – they’ve travelled all over their country, but found peace only closer to their home – in Kherson.
However, they were unable to return to their own house, as it was damaged by an air bomb and the flood caused by the explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station.
Life in Kherson is far from ideal, too. When the city is given a short break from shelling, which is not very often, the father takes the family to a less safe area of Kherson to see their grandparents for 1-2 hours “in between shelling” – the daughters add sadly. Family gatherings are rare, since security is paramount and they do not risk regular travel to a more distant and unsafe neighbourhood from their newfound home in the frontline city.
“We never knew what renting a flat meant and how much it drains the family budget” – Yulia says, but at least the flat is in a safer area of Kherson. Rent and utility bills were the family’s biggest expenses (7000UAH monthly) until their youngest daughter developed lymph node disease. One set of her expensive medicine costs more than 3,000 UAH.
It was at this point that mother learned about the possibility of receiving financial assistance from Hungarian Interchurch Aid, which “felt like a lifeline,” according to Yulia. Thanks to the Ukrainian Response Consortium partners World Vision and ACTED, the family received financial support of 32,800 UAH which helped them cover the treatment of their younger daughter and rent. Thankfully, the girl’s health began to improve and the family were able to settle in a flat that they are can afford. Nevertheless, the schoolgirls still have one dream left to fulfill: to meet their dear peers in real life, not in a Zoom call. “We believe it will happen one day,” – the girls say with the sound of artillery in the background. Because that would mean that peace has returned to the region.
This story was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Grant Agreement “Ukraine Response Consortium: Providing Multi-Sectoral Humanitarian Assistance to Conflict-Affected Populations in Ukraine (2023-2024)”
