We continue to share the stories of the residents of our temporary accommodation facility for internally displaced persons, "PrykhystOK." In reality, these stories always trace the difficult journey from their homes to Uzhhorod. Our conversation with Krystyna Kovalenko is a compelling example of this.

Krystyna, from Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, arrived in Uzhhorod a few weeks ago with her two daughters—5-year-old Viktoriya and 13-year-old Veronika.

"In 2022, due to the start of a full-scale war, we left for Germany, but we didn’t stay there long. Because of the younger child’s deteriorating health, we returned to Ukraine after just a few months—we lived in the Cherkasy region for six months, and then in December of that same year, we came home to the Donetsk region," says Krystyna. 

A series of coincidences brought the shelter’s new residents to Uzhhorod. 

"In one of the social media groups, I was looking for a place where I could evacuate with my children, as staying in Kramatorsk was becoming extremely dangerous. I was searching for an affordable option for temporary accommodation in a relatively safe region. By chance, I came across a post by a woman who had previously stayed at your shelter, and she shared the contact details. She was a complete stranger to me, but she told me how wonderful the conditions were here and said that if there were vacant rooms, we would be very lucky. Plus, an acquaintance of mine has been living in Uzhhorod since 2022, which was an additional argument for why I decided to try. When they called me and said a room was waiting for us, we bought our tickets and went to a transit center in the Kharkiv region," the woman says.

Like most of our residents throughout the entire period of the facility's operation, Krystyna Kovalenko found herself in Uzhhorod for the very first time. 

"A lot of people are leaving our city right now, but thousands of residents still remain at home under extremely difficult security circumstances: some are afraid to go because all the routes are already under fire, some are holding on to loved ones, others—to their familiar homes; everyone’s situation is different. And you have to understand that the unknown is terrifying, as is the uncertainty of whether a family can financially afford the move. Back in 2022, we also returned home because life in a new place was very expensive, and now it’s even more expensive. However, the constant shelling forced us to make the decision to move. Even the day before our departure, guided aerial bombs landed nearby—it’s very scary," Krystyna continues. 

She adds that the children wanted to leave because the war robs them of their childhood—they can’t move around freely, go to playgrounds, or socialize normally with their peers. Spending so much time in shelters adds just as much stress.

"You never know exactly where a shell will land or where a drone will strike. We were constantly monitoring relevant social media channels to know when an attack started so we could run to the shelter in time. But you have to understand that we’re talking about a matter of minutes—and sometimes seconds—before the explosion. We’ve heard many of them, and we’ve had to replace the windows in our house multiple times. But in moments like that, all you can think about is the children—whether you managed to shield them, whether you managed to save them," says Krystyna. 

According to the woman, her older daughter would already like to return home, because that’s where her relatives and friends are, as well as her memories of a normal life before the war. Her younger one, unfortunately, has only seen her hometown as a peaceful and safe place in internet archives; therefore, she’s delighted to have the chance to play with other children, visit parks and cafes, and walk in the fresh air here in Uzhhorod. 

Under these circumstances, it’s difficult, and perhaps even inappropriate, to ask someone about their plans for the future, but Krystyna does have them.

"Right now, I’m sorting out our legal status, researching the local job market, and looking into housing options for the future. At the same time, I think we need a backup plan—to return somewhere closer to home. I’m taking a realistic look at the situation; this reality is frightening and upsetting, but there’s no other option, so we have to do something, make a decision. For now, I’m not worried about the children; they’re safe, and my youngest is happily making friends with the other kids at the shelter. They say a new family is coming soon, also from Kramatorsk, and they have children the same age as my Veronika, so maybe she’ll make some new friends too," concludes Krystyna Kovalenko.

The temporary accommodation facility for internally displaced persons "PrykhystOK" in Uzhhorod is part of the project "Mother and Child Home for IDPs in Uzhhorod," which the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya is implementing in partnership with "terre des hommes Deutschland e.V.".