"PrykhystOK" in Uzhhorod: casual help to IDPs

"PrykhystOK" in Uzhhorod: casual help to IDPs

27/10/2023

We want to record this data in our working archive, because the overall picture is not always visible in our daily work. Thus, the "PrykhystOK" for temporary accommodation of mothers with children affected by the russian military invasion is now one year old. The specifics of our shelter are such that we can safely talk about 365 days of round-the-clock operation.

During its year-long operation, "PrykhystOK" has become a temporary home for 64 people – 32 adults and 32 children. Our residents come from Kyiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia and their regions, Kharkiv, Kupyansk, Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, Svatove and Syevyerodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast, Lyman and Slovyansk in Donetsk Oblast, Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast... The vast majority of our guests came to the shelter when they ended up in Uzhhorod for the first time. People found out about us by chance – some from other IDPs, some from social security officers, some while visiting doctors, and some in medical institutions where they were caring for wounded relatives... Some mothers with children have overcome a long way from their homes to the "PrykhystOK", fleeing the war abroad, going through the not always easy path of refugee and returning to Ukraine without the possibility of returning home.

When we say that some stories are purely about rescue, it is not an empty word, because sometimes a roof over the head appeared after several days of living at the station out of desperation. But in the end, people got the opportunity to catch their breath, gather their thoughts and strength, and figure out where and how to move on. Most of our residents returned home or to their native regions when it became safer there, five families stayed in Uzhhorod, and three more went abroad. If you’re wondering how we know all these details, it’s simple: the residents are always accompanied by "PrykhystOK" staff members Lesya Babiy and Olena Irkha. In fact, they are the guides in solving all the issues and problems in the new place. They can also help the children with their homework, organize leisure activities, and give advice and reassurance if necessary. Kostya Blazhevych is always there to make sure that the walls are not only cozy, but also intact. In general, all members of the Committee’s team are involved in the process whenever necessary.

We constantly communicate with our residents and periodically tell you about them, for example, here, and here, here and here. Each story is priceless, each about a life that has been dramatically changed by the russian-Ukrainian war. We continue to write these stories and each time we realize more and more how important such interaction and such help is.

As a reminder, Shelter was founded by the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya with funding from the NGO "Terre Des Hommes" (Germany). Recently, the second year of our fruitful cooperation has begun, and it has not lost any of its relevance.


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