‘Motivation to Live’: Stories of Recovery in Ukraine

Svitlana and her husband were evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast during a devastating artillery attack, with only mere minutes to pack their belongings.

"They arrived and said: 'Hurry, because there's going to be very heavy shelling.' we were only allowed to take our documents. And now our village is gone. It's being razed to the ground," Svitlana tells us.

Residents of the "Motivation to Live" shelter in the village of Pidhorodne (© Albert Lores)

"People come to us through evacuation centres and hospitals. And in general, people hear about us through the hotline and from people who have already received help," says Artem, the centre's manager.

Eight specialists work here on a permanent basis, with another eight volunteers joining-in depending on need. Together they make sure residents feel supported. The grounds include a small farm, a vegetable garden, and a space for recovery, where a professional rehabilitation therapist works with people.

Residents and staff of the complex grow fresh vegetables together (© Albert Lores)

"We focus on running activities that help people socialise and improve their mental and emotional well-being,” adds Artem.

Artem visits the shelter's residents every day (© Albert Lores)

With support from the Government of Switzerland, we provide residents with cash assistance. This allows people to decide for themselves what they need most: buying medicine, undergoing medical examinations, arranging documents, or applying for disability status.

Svitlana was one of them.

She recalls with pain the horror she experienced, and her anxiety for her home. What troubles her most is that she will no longer be able to visit her son's grave. The stress she endured aggravated Svitlana's illnesses. So she used the cash assistance to pay for a course of medication and injections.

"It's really good for us here. We're safe here. But more than anything, I want to go home. To come back to my land. To my son," Svitlana says.

Dmytro is originally from Crimea. Before the full-scale invasion, he lived in Kharkiv Oblast. From there, he had to flee again because of the fighting. When Dmytro arrived at the town, he was bedridden for a long time due to a severe hip joint condition.

"You gave me help just in time. With that money I bought medicine, traveled to see doctors, had a bunch of tests done. It helped, and, thank God, I can now walk unaided,” says Dmytro.

Having recovered his health, Dmytro stayed on at the "Motivation to Live" as a volunteer and social worker. Now he accompanies others to hospitals, helps them renew their passports and apply for disability status.

In his spare time Dmytro plants flowers, waters the thuja trees, and in the evenings finds solace in music (© Albert Lores)

"I'm grateful for everything that has happened in my life. Because here I found my place, my calling. I have found anddiscovered myself," says Dmytro.