For over a year and a half, GAiN has committed to bringing aid and support to the people of Ukraine as they continue to navigate the war. Current stats report that there are 5.8 million Ukrainian refugees recorded across Europe and 3.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine. Simply put, there are still millions of people in dire need of practical provision, such as food and shelter, especially with winter on the way.
Our local partners on the ground recently encountered two women, Raisa and Violette, who have both been profoundly impacted by GAiN’s work. Although the women live over 600 km apart and do not know each other, both share similar stories of finding hope in a time of overwhelming loss and hardship.
Raisa Kelb is a 39-year-old woman who lives with her husband and children in Kherson. Despite the danger of staying there during the period of occupation by Russian troops, her family remained because both she and her husband are in charge of caring for their elderly parents. Raisa works as a hairdresser while her husband works in the municipal service of the city.
Due to the massive explosion of the Kakhovka reservoir, Raisa’s house completely flooded and became unusable, causing city authorities to resettle their family in a hostel. The four of them huddle in the same room and share a kitchen with 16 other families. Life is not easy, wages have fallen and the chances of saving enough money to repair their house or buy a new home are slim. But Raisa has not lost hope for a better life–she is inspired by the fact that people from all over the world are helping the people of Kherson. Since receiving aid from GAiN, she now has the resources to feed her family for some time.
“This is evidence of God’s love and care in [our] lives,” Raisa said. “[I am] very grateful to everyone who is involved in this good deed.”
Violetta Chizhevskaya (30 years old) lives in Kharkov and raises her children, Ilya (5 years old) and Dasha (4 years old) by herself. Like many residents of Kharkov, the family was left homeless and forced to rent an apartment. Violetta is a practical psychologist, but since the beginning of the war, her client demand has significantly decreased. Earnings are hardly enough for utilities and rent.
Therefore, when help came from GAiN, Violetta was exceedingly thankful. She was already thinking about buying shoes for her children, so it was perfect timing when GAiN arrived with brand new sneakers for her kids. Additionally, the family received a food package. The children were especially pleased with the sweets!
Violetta shared, “This help [has] not only met [my] material needs but [has] also strengthened [my] faith in human kindness and God’s love.”
Raisa and Violette are two women of incredible strength and grit, supporting the needs of their families in a time when their own lives are at risk. Losing their homes and barely scraping together enough funds to make ends meet is difficult and taxing, which is why it gives GAiN such great joy to be able to bless their families with practical aid. Their stories remind us that while many people are surviving each day, the need for basic necessities, like food, shelter and adequate clothing, is still prevalent. As an organization, we are devoted to seeing health and vitality permeate Ukraine once again and look ahead to many more months of bringing humanitarian aid and the love of Christ to those we encounter on the ground.
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