June 13, 2025
News
Russia's war against Ukraine has separated and made homeless thousands of Ukrainian families, destroying not only their homes but also their hometowns. Victoria and Yevgeniy are a couple from frontline Kharkiv, which has been under massive attack since the first days of the full-scale invasion. The family moved to Transcarpathia to save their minor children. Thanks to the assistance provided by Caritas Czech Republic, the large family was able to restore their income and gain professional development.
The shelling destroyed business and forced the family to flee
Yevgeniy and Victoria, both 35 years old, once studied economics together and gained their first professional experience in banking. Later, Yevgeniy made a career in sales, and Viktoria opened a clothing store.
"And then the shelling happened. The business was destroyed," she recalls.
Before the Russian full-scale invasion, the couple had paid off the loan on their apartment in Kharkiv, but the war interrupted the family's happy life.
Vika's father joined the country's defence in the very first days, persuading the young family to move away from the frontline. That's how the couple and their two children settled in the town of Berehove, Transcarpathia.
A part-time job in a new place helped the family get back on their feet
In Berehove, Yevheniy and Viktoria became parents for the third time. The family has two sons, 10-year-old Platon and 1.5-year-old Bazhen, and a 6-year-old daughter, Ilana.
The main challenge for the large family in the new place was housing: in the resort town, demand exceeds supply, and therefore rental prices are traditionally high. However, according to Victoria, the local climate suits the children very well. So, the family is holding on to their rented private house, despite its high price for a home in need of major repairs.
"We have repaired the house as well as we could, but it is still not in the best condition. The first thing I see when I wake up is a peeling old bed and walls. But my children smile at me in the morning, and my mood changes: ' No problem, I will get up now and find a job, and everything will be fine", says Vika.
The family's income is based on Yevgeniy’s salary. He continues his pre-war cooperation with the agricultural enterprise, though now remotely. Yevgeniy manages sales of plant protection products. However, he says the war is dealing a devastating blow to Ukrainian farmers: fields in the frontline areas are either mined or under constant shelling.
"Unfortunately, the situation is not changing for the better. Today, guided aerial bombs hit Okhtyrka (Sumy region - ed.), where our company's capacities are located, and may God help everyone to survive," Yevheniy continues.
In such circumstances, additional income for the family is extremely important, so Yevheniy took part in the Cash for Work program of Caritas Czech Republic and joined the renovation of the dormitory of the Berehove Lyceum of Services, where evacuated families live.
"Such initiatives are very much needed. You can work in your spare time, and the additional income makes us feel the ground beneath our feet. We are grateful for this great opportunity," Victoria says.
A grant for training in a demanded profession helped to find a job
As soon as her youngest son grew up, Vika decided to get a job. However, her higher education and experience were not in demand in the Berehove labour market. Luckily, Vika found out about Caritas Czech Republic's grant assistance for retraining courses for internally displaced Ukrainians and applied for it. She chose the cookery course because it is one of the most popular professions in the resort town.
"The course programme was a pleasant surprise: it taught not only cooking techniques but also how to work with professional equipment. I gained a great experience and now I am not only a good cook for my family, but also ready to successfully pass a job interview," says Victoria confidently.
Regardless of how much we communicate with Ukrainian families, we are always convinced of their motivation and ability to overcome challenges. When asked about what gave her the strength to study and move forward during the war, Vika answers sincerely and inspiringly.
"My family is the oasis I hold on to. Children are what I wake up for. My family gives me the strength to move on, to study and develop, to show my children that the universe did not stop with the war," summarises Viktoria.
Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine
Caritas Czech Republic has been helping Ukrainian families since the beginning of the war. In addition to providing much-needed humanitarian aid, we provide shelter to internally displaced people in modular houses in western Ukraine. We are also improving living conditions in dormitories.
In western Ukraine, we support Ukrainians who have decided to stand on their own feet after evacuating from the war zone. Through mini-grants, we assist the restoration of livelihoods for people in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and the Transcarpathian region.
In eastern Ukraine, we improve the accessibility and quality of rehabilitation and reproductive medicine by modernising hospitals and educating staff.
Since 2025, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, we have been involved in setting up a network of Mental Health Centres in 4 regions: Dnipro, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Transcarpathia. In addition, Caritas Czech Republic supports Ukrainian educational institutions near the frontline by creating safe educational spaces, providing equipment, and funding psychological consultations and additional classes to help children catch up on their educational gaps.
In southern Ukraine, we are now working with partners to restore water supply in affected areas and set up mobile medical centres.
