Ukraine/ Uzhhorod
Find peace and quiet in the mother-and-child home
Darina was seven years old when she, her mother, and her sister had to flee Sieverodonetsk. Darina is slightly paralyzed. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Some children are hit particularly hard by fate. The Medical Aid Committee Zakarpattya (MACZ) is there for them.
“I can’t complain,” says Darina’s mother, Viktoria. But it sounds as if she still needs to convince herself. “We get food, water, everyone has their own bed. There are so many good people. Everyone is trying to help us.” An office building in a disused industrial area on the outskirts of Uzhhorod is the new home of Viktoria, her two daughters, and other women and children who have fled the conflict zones to western Ukraine. Many volunteer initiatives here are addressing the concerns and needs of the displaced. Terre des Hommes partner organization, MACZ, is closely connected with them and supports their work—for example, with furniture, mattresses, toys, and food.
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Because of the severe housing shortage, a small hotel was purchased last year and converted into a mother-and-child home: Eight women and their children can live here at the same time, find peace and quiet, and learn to regain control of their lives despite the difficult circumstances. Families can stay for six months, after which the space is needed for new arrivals. The house has a playroom and a communal kitchen. Families receive support with school or kindergarten registration, job applications, and parenting issues. Women outside the house also utilize this support service.
“Many children don’t want to be left alone; they’re afraid of losing their parents and worry greatly about the lives of their loved ones,” reports Tetiana Romantsova, a psychologist who supports the work of MACZ. “They are often easily irritable, sleep poorly, and suffer from tension and anxiety.” The parents can hardly help their children: many are traumatized by the loss of loved ones and unable to provide their children with a “safe haven.”.
"When playing, the child shows what it feels and what worries it has."
Role-playing and puppet shows, as well as modeling with playdough or clay and telling stories with happy endings, help the children process the horrific images of war. Darina and Viktoria also received support in coping with their worries: Darina's paralysis was treated, and she is doing better. Viktoria's breast cancer was operated on. "I used to have many dreams," she says. "But now I only have one dream left: to survive. For my children."