DHM trustee Helen Evans, reflects on her recent trip to Ukraine:
Having recently travelled to Ukraine via Slovakia by bus, I wanted to try and depict the differences between a stable European country and that of Ukraine. As you travel over the border there don’t appear to be many differences at first glance. The architecture seems the same (perhaps a little more run-down), the people look similar (from the same Austro-Hungarian roots), shops are full and people are busy going about their everyday chores.
But scratch beneath the surface and you will find some very obvious differences, even in the safe city of Uzhhorod. Lining the streets we saw many beautiful Ukrainian flags. ‘How pretty’, I thought. Then I was told that they are there to line the route for the fallen heroes as they are brought to rest in the many new cemeteries (where yet more flags fly). Pictures of these soldiers are also on display, and never without flowers, as people show their respect for their country’s defenders.
Every morning at 9am the loudspeaker plays the national anthem. Everyone stands still for a minute’s silence to remember those who have died fighting for their country’s survival. It is also each morning that people discuss the events of the night before. Air raid sirens sound even when strikes are many hundreds of miles away. In the morning comes news of casualties, and much grief.
All families are affected by the war. Many have lost loved ones. Many more are separated from their nearest and dearest either because their men have been conscripted into the army or women and children have fled to safety in Western countries. New settlers arrive each week from the war-torn regions and try to rebuild their lives in this city. There is massive construction underway to house all the new arrivals.
It is against this backdrop that Margarita, who moved there from the now occupied region of Zaporizhzhya over three years ago, works to help the many traumatized children. In the grounds of a beautiful organic farm, nestled in beautiful countryside, the children can ride horses, play, sing, dance, draw, paint and relax as they take part in a two week programme of activities. Margarita could have just tried to make a new life for herself when she moved here, but like many other amazing DHM partners, she saw a need and chose to be the one to fulfil it.
Spending time with Margarita and meeting other friends was a great privilege and a truly humbling experience.
Margarita is running camps for traumatised children throughout the summer (see photos below). If you would like to support this work, please go to www.dniprohopemission.org.uk/donate ref: Summer Camps
