An official website of the ukrainian government
United24 Media

Total collected: $ 0

Total collected: $ 0

 · 

Rebuild Ukraine: Yana's history

02.02.2023

Yana is a resident of an apartment block in Irpin, which was listed for the UNITED24’s Rebuild Ukraine program.

Rebuild Ukraine: Yana's history

Support

Yana is a resident of an apartment block in Irpin, which was listed for the UNITED24’s Rebuild Ukraine program. This is the second time when the woman has lost her home because of the war. Read her story to find out how she fends off despair with hope and optimism, and support the fundraising campaign to help Yana and 200 other families return to their homes.
 
“In 2014, I had to flee from Donetsk with just a suitcase. At the time, we all thought it was temporary, that war isn’t possible in the modern world. Donetsk, however, is still under occupation, and I haven’t been there for 8 long years.
 
Me and my future husband have started our life in Kyiv from scratch. We had worked hard and saved money to buy a place of our own. I had always wished for my own cozy home. In 2017, we finally found this apartment of our dreams.
 
Slow and steady, we renovated each corner of this apartment to make it look exactly as we dreamed of. It was an incredible feeling of finally being at home. We had lived there for 345 days.
 
We raised our son there, watched the sun rise over the pine forest, collected books for the children's library, and dreamed about having a green oasis on our terrace.
 
On February 24, 2022, he had to be evacuated from our dream apartment. We had only 30 minutes to pack our belongings. Once again, we fled with only one suitcase.
 
Until the last minute, we hoped that only one room was damaged, but our entire apartment burned to ashes. I was devastated.
 
When we came back and first entered what once used to be our home, our son couldn’t recognize the apartment. There was nothing left, except for his bed and pajamas he was wearing on the night of February 24th.
 
Still, seeing these ruins made me feel relieved we managed to evacuate and survive.
Human life is the most valuable thing. Everything else can be rebuilt.
 
I love Ukraine and want to live here. I want my son to grow up here, and I want to see the very first sunrise of our new life on the restored terrace.
 
I am impressed by how united the Ukrainians are. We all have turned into one big family.
The people from the whole world have joined efforts to support us.
 
It’s a wonderful feeling when you realize you’re just a drop in the ocean. But, when the other drops merge together, you feel like a big ocean, strong enough to lead us to victory.”
 
Support Yana and make a donation towards the reconstruction of the apartment building No. 4 at Ipinski Lypky residential complex, 11th line Street.