Vinnytsia oblast became a shelter for many internally displaced persons. To help those currently in need, create more comfortable conditions for people in the obast, we started cooperation with Podolian Agency of Regional Development within the Shelter Project. In particular, were transferred washing and drying machines and kitchen appliances to some shelters of Vinnytsia oblast.

Behind each item of provided humanitarian aid or equipment, there is a story of a person or a family who received necessary help. So we collected some stories of people who were forced to leave their homes because of the war and find a temporary home in Vinnytsia oblast.

A family from Donetsk oblast say that they didn’t really know where to escape, but their friends were going to Vinnystia, and offered to join:

“I am staying here with son. My husband stayed. Here we have everything we need. We can cook, do the laundry. We are treated well. The only thing we need is peace,” – says Ms. Kateryna.

“We like it here, but we miss home. Really. Though we already got used to the new circumstances, even Thomas already did, in the beginning he was very scared,” – adds Kateryna’s 10-year-old son who holds a cat in his hands.

A family from Kyiv oblast lives in a room for four people. Their two daughters have special nutrition requirements, so a family needs to do cooking separately.

“We were given a multi-cooker to our room. This really simplified a process of cooking for us. Thank you for such help,” – says Ms. Liudmyla.

A family from Kyiv found themselves in a shelter a week after the war began. They have information that their house in Kyiv survived, but they are still afraid to go back:

“We lived very well. We managed to buy an apartment for our children in the same house we live in. But the war forced us, just like many others, to flee. We decided to settle here, in Vinnytsia. Conditions here are not bad. Missing home, but… We have a place to sleep, food, we are safe, not bombed. It is good that here there is an opportunity to wash clothing. Our grandchildren are still little. They need to change every day. The machines wash and dry. What else would we need? We are satisfied with the conditions. Vinnytsia is a beautiful and hospitable city. But we would want to go back home,” – says Ms. Iryna.

The employees of educational institutions of Vinnytsia say that as they received the machines, it became much easier to wash clothing and meet the residents’ needs.

“Previously, we needed to get the clothing to the laundry in another place. Surely, it was not too comfortable. Now we can wash everything here, and this really simplifies our life and the life of people who stay here,” – says Ms. Lesia.

There are many other stories of displaced people, so mutual support and help are very important nowadays! We are grateful to our partners for their work and for every contribution.