When you hear about the Ukrainian refugee crisis, you probably assume it began when the fighting broke out in February 2022 … but that’s not the case.
Russia and Ukraine have actually been at war since 2014. It started with small battles along the border when Russia annexed Crimea. The fighting continued for years, but over time, it fell out of the news until Russia invaded again in 2022.
But people like Olena, who lived in these border towns, had their lives uprooted. To keep her family safe, they left behind all they had ever known to start fresh.
And when they finally felt settled into their new home, Russia launched its full-scale invasion.
Watch this short video to hear Olena’s story:
After fleeing their hometown near the Russian border, Olena and her husband separated. She began rebuilding a life for herself and her two daughters. She taught Greek and Ukrainian at a local school and even sent her eldest daughter off to college.
Olena found a new sense of peace and normalcy — until Russia attacked. The front line was established less than 13 miles away from her home.
Once again, Olena and her youngest had to pack up all their belongings and flee. They decided to go to Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine that was much safer … but life in the city has been anything but easy these past two years.
Olena has yet to find a stable job in Ternopil. And even if she could return home, she wouldn’t have a job there either. Russian bombs had destroyed the school she worked at.
Without an income, she struggles to provide basic necessities for herself and her daughter.
Thankfully, Olena was connected with our partner on the ground working to help displaced Ukrainians. And thanks in part to World Help donors, she received lifesaving supplies.
Ukrainian refugees and displaced people like Olena still desperately need your help
To this day, she continues to receive food, water, and other necessities from the warehouse … but it’s becoming harder and harder for our partner to meet the needs of people like Olena.
As prices continue to rise, our partner doesn’t have the resources to help everyone who needs it. And now that we are in the middle of a brutal winter, the need is more urgent than ever.
Parents like Olena can’t afford to buy coats, boots, or hats to keep their children warm. Even food and water are in short supply. Unless someone like YOU steps in to provide emergency aid now, displaced refugee families like Olena’s could run out of resources before spring.
All it takes is $35 to provide a week’s worth of essentials like food, clothing, shelter, and other emergency supplies to one refugee or displaced Ukrainian like Olena.
But time is running out … will you provide help and hope before it’s too late?
Give your best gift now to help a refugee or displaced person from Ukraine survive this winter.