The following blog was written by a program participant of CWS’ local Moldovan partner, Healthy City. Healthy City, also known as Zdorovii Gorod, supports Ukrainian refugees by providing comprehensive services including food and non-food items, social inclusion and psychosocial support.
The Alexander Family
We are a family of five—mom, dad and three children—from the beautiful Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia. Before the war, we lived an ordinary, happy life. We took walks in city parks, raised our children, rejoiced at every little thing and did not think about moving to another country. Our homeland completely suited us, and we could not imagine life outside of it.
On February 24, 2022, everything changed. That morning began not with the usual sounds of the city, but with alarming reports of the outbreak of hostilities. At that time, there were no explosions of missiles and bombs in our city, as in other regions of Ukraine, but the howl of sirens and alarming news in the media haunted us. Every day we woke up with the hope that it would all end. Instead, the tension grew. We saw convoys of buses that went to Moldova, Poland and other European countries.
A week after the start of the war, realizing that the situation was only getting worse, we made a difficult decision. We packed the essentials and went to Moldova, where we hoped it would be safer. Our first new home was the small town of Glodeni—a cozy and beautiful town where we were greeted with warmth and care. From the very beginning, we received support, including food assistance from Zdorovii Gorod, which was a real salvation in difficult times. We received boxes of food once every two weeks at the City Hall building
When we first arrived, we thought this was just temporary difficulties that would last a couple of weeks, or a few months at most. Since we did not plan to stay for a long time, we did not seek to integrate into the local society. We thought that soon everything would return to normal, and we would be able to return to our native Vinnytsia.
Glodeni turned out to be a quiet and friendly place, where we unexpectedly met a lot of people speaking Ukrainian. It was pleasant and amazing; I felt at home. Despite the friendly atmosphere, we lacked opportunities for children-—there were no clubs and educational centers there. The children needed more than just a safe place to live.
Therefore, we moved to Balti, a larger city, with more opportunities for development and education. Here, help came to us from several organizations, including the already familiar Zdorovii Gorod. We received food packages and hygiene items, which was a great help given that renting housing was and continues to be a significant cost. The food packages that we received every two weeks included a variety of products: pasta, legumes, tomato paste, dumplings and vegetables. Everything was thought out and balanced, which allowed us to eat well, buying only fresh fruit. It really helped in coping with everyday difficulties and not worrying about the most necessary things. Now we continue to receive food assistance in the form of vouchers.
Many believe that the best help for refugees is food packages or vouchers for the purchase of food and clothing. And we agree with this, but partially. From personal experience, we are convinced that assistance should not be limited to material support. No less important are the measures aimed at integrating refugees into a new society and adapting them to life in another country.
Zdorovii Gorod has shown attention to this side of the issue, organizing many useful and valuable programs for us. Psychological sessions conducted by professionals have become a real discovery for us. In conditions of constant stress and anxiety, these classes helped us cope with emotional difficulties, restore strength, find internal strength and skills for raising children and just life.
Zdorovii Gorod has also created opportunities for active recreation and communication. The sports room provides the opportunity to restore peace of mind and just have a good time with games like table tennis, chess and billiards. It is important to emphasize that Zdorovii Gorod supports not only women and children, but also men, which is, in our opinion, extremely correct. Not all men can and should participate in hostilities. Among those who moved to Moldova, there are pensioners, people with disabilities and fathers of families with many children. These men also need psychological support. Visiting the men’s club has become an opportunity for many men to find understanding and help as well as acquaintances and friends.
Of course, food packages and vouchers remain important, but we are convinced that psychological support programs are just as necessary. They help us refugees cope with the chronic stress that has accompanied us since the beginning of the war. We would especially like to note the work of the psychologists at Zdorovii Gorod because they have a significant positive impact on us and contribute to better integration. We would propose increasing the number of such events.
We are trying to not only wait for the end of hostilities, but also to become part of a new society. We are actively studying the Romanian language, the history of Moldova and have already managed to make new friends among the locals. The country of Moldova and the city of Balti have become a second home for us. And the volunteers of Zdorovii Gorod provided us with care and support.
We continue to hope that one day we will return to our native Vinnytsia and be able to live again as we lived before the war: peacefully, happily and calmly.
This story is possible thanks to the generosity of UMCOR. To learn more and support CWS’ work with Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, click here.