The team of the charity organization "Caritas Mariupol" visited the family of Kateryna and Oleksandr, who moved from the occupied city of Hirnyk in the Kurakhiv community to the village of Sontseve in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
In the yard, the guests were greeted by an old black cat, who, along with the family, experienced evacuation. "Our Murchik is also a displaced person," jokes Kateryna about their 17-year-old pet.
Kateryna, Oleksandr, and their son Volodymyr left in the fall of last year. And just in time — a month later, the city was occupied.
The couple has a first group disability, and both move in wheelchairs. But despite everything, they remain active, hardworking, and cheerful. Oleksandr has taken up his favorite hobby again in Sontseve — repairing cars and any kind of equipment.
"At home, there were more orders because I worked there for about seven years, everyone already knew me. Even at night, someone once brought a chainsaw for urgent repair from 60 km away," recalls the man. "Here, there isn't as much work yet, but word of mouth is working, so the number of clients is gradually increasing."
Oleksandr's golden hands not only feed the family but also create comfort in their new place. For instance, the old washing machine is "alive" only because Oleksandr repairs it in time while they don't have the funds to buy a new one.
Kateryna is looking for remote work. She is an accountant, has inspiration and a desire to develop, but the lack of a laptop is a real obstacle. However, the woman does not give up. Together with the case manager from "Caritas Mariupol," Kateryna prepared a resume and is actively searching for job vacancies. Meanwhile, her main workplace is the vegetable garden and flowerbed, which she is truly proud of.
Son Volodymyr has enrolled in university. His father says that the boy has "a real knack for construction": together they have already done quite a lot in their new home. Despite the fact that the housing is rented, the family strives to make it comfortable and cozy.
In this new life, the family came across the "HAVEN" project and is now receiving assistance in paying for housing rent. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The most valuable thing is the support and the opportunity to get back on their feet. All issues — from document processing to doctor appointments, from job searching to adaptation in a new place — have been taken on by case manager Maria.
Thanks to fruitful cooperation between Caritas projects, the guests arrived not empty-handed. Colleagues from the Emergency Appeal project provided a food package to support the family during these difficult times.
The "HAVEN: Providing Shelter and Housing Needs for Vulnerable Populations in Ukraine" project is implemented with the support of "Caritas Austria" in cooperation with "Caritas Ukraine."
Based on materials from "Caritas Mariupol"