“We had nowhere to go”: Stories of displaced Ukrainians at our humanitarian hubs

Following assessments carried out from the end of February, Concern Worldwide determined that the need was greatest inside Ukraine, and are currently working with our Alliance2015 partners Welthungerhilfe and CESVI, as well as cooperating with local organisations and authorities, in Ternopil and Khmelnytski. 

Here, we are supporting eight humanitarian hubs across two oblasts, or regions, of western Ukraine, which provide food, hygiene supplies, baby kits, bedding and other household essentials to those who need it. We are also supporting collective centres to provide accommodation to internally displaced people (IDPs), providing psychosocial care, and setting up cash transfers for those in need, with this phase of our response running until July 2022. 

At these humanitarian hubs, we met displaced Ukrainians who shared their stories of fleeing their homes and seeking safety, as well as their hopes for the future. 

*Names have been changed for security reasons

Veronika was eight months pregnant when she and her husband decided to flee their home in eastern Ukraine in March 2022. Conflict had yet to hit their neighbourhood when they left, with Veronika saying it was “reasonably calm”, but they were worried about what was to come. Sadly, their fears would come true, as their neighbourhood has since been hit by missiles. 

Heavily pregnant, Veronika fled with her husband and their six-year-old daughter Sofiya*, who dreams of being a gymnast. Thankfully, they found refuge in western Ukraine, where Veronika gave birth to a healthy baby boy called Nazar, and sourced local accommodation. 

“Of course we would prefer to be at home and hopefully we will have a home to go to when the war is over,” Veronika said. “For now, our house is ok, but a missile landed on a petrol station on our street, so who knows what will happen?”

Veronika’s husband has found some work, but their financial situation is difficult. We met Veronika at a local humanitarian hub supported by Concern Worldwide, which is helping to bridge the gap for displaced people like Veronika and her family.

These hubs provide assistance, food, hygiene supplies, bedding and household essentials free of charge for displaced people. Veronika was at the hub to collect food for the week and nappies for her newborn son, and called the service “really helpful for us”. 

“People are dying every day. I am almost speechless with anxiety. I cry all the time.”

Katya’s home in the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine has been heavily bombarded for months, and now, the situation is critical. She is unable to communicate with those who have remained there, as mobile phone networks are down, and they have been left without electricity and water. 

Along with her extended family, including three young children aged two, five and seven, Katya fled her home and found refuge in western Ukraine. She tries to shield the children from what is happening, but still, one of her granddaughters often wakes in the night shouting “Grandma, save me”, which Katya says breaks her heart.

The family has managed to rent an apartment but due to huge demand for local accommodation, the rent nearly costs them everything they get in government subsidies, leaving them unable to buy household essentials or equip their apartment with furniture or proper beds. “We are lucky to be here and grateful for the support we get, but it is really difficult,” she explained. “Money is very tight.” Katya and her family have been able to avail of the free supplies distributed at the local humanitarian hub. 

She is hoping that one day they will be able to return home, but is thankful that they are far from the conflict and are getting the help they need. “One day we will go home, but for now we are in the best place.”

Mykhailo is also from the Donbas region of Ukraine, and he and his extended family spent a lot of time in shelters as their city came under destruction and bombardment, described by Mykhailo as “terrible”.

As the situation in their city got worse, Mykhailo and his family made the decision to leave. In a group of around 30 people, they struggled to find accommodation and lived like “nomads”, moving from place to place until they at last found sanctuary in a college dormitory in a rural area of Khmelnytski. 

“We had nowhere to go, so we were lucky to find this place,” Mykhailo - a university student who was pursuing a degree in international relations prior to the conflict - said. He added that while their living conditions are basic, it “could be worse”, and he and his family are among 750 displaced people accessing services and supplies via a humanitarian hub at the town hall.

Their hope is to eventually return home, but Mykhailo knows that their exile could be prolonged. “Who knows what the future will bring?”