From the first day of the full-scale war, Natalia and her daughter Alina didn’t leave their hometown of Kherson. At first, Natalia didn’t tell her child anything when the city was occupied. But soon, Alina, still very young, understood everything. She started having mood swings and feared everything: explosions, tanks, even going outside.

All schools in the city closed, and Alina stopped talking to her peers and became withdrawn. To distract her, Natalia tried doing homework with her, but even that didn’t interest her. Once very social, the girl became irritable and introverted after February 24th.

It was always hard to stay indoors without walking or talking to others. So, sometimes they had to go outside, but they would meet armed soldiers, which frightened Alina too, until November.

When the Ukrainian Armed Forces entered Kherson, Natalia didn’t immediately realize what had happened. Living far from the Center, they stayed home until November 11th. Seeing people along the road with blue and yellow flags shocked them. No one expected liberation so soon.

One day, people in the city became happier and kinder, greeting each other outside. Alina felt this, making it easier for Natalia. Even the ongoing explosions weren’t as scary as living under occupation. But the child still struggled with the shelling.

To find peace, Natalia and her daughter went to a local church where children’s activities were held every Saturday. Then they learned about a new Community Center by the Save Ukraine Rescue Network, which is open on weekdays to supervise children. Professionals there would help the kids recover from the occupation and catch up on missed schoolwork.

Natalia was happy that Alina could finally interact with other children, something she missed during the occupation. The Center was safe, with a bomb shelter allowing activities to continue during shelling. Alina loved the Center, especially using a tablet there. It was so exciting and helpful that she learned to calmly handle life’s minor setbacks. Recently, she got a low math score at school but wasn’t upset, saying, “Mom, don’t worry, they’ll teach me this at the day center.”

It’s amazing. Natalia is impressed by how calmly her daughter now reacts to her environment and life’s events, easily handling minor setbacks. Alina became more obedient, understanding what was right and wrong. Plus, teachers at the Community Center explain homework well, so parents don’t have to spend energy on lessons. They can just enjoy good conversation with their child.

“When I leave my daughter at the day center, I feel at peace,” says Natalia. “I’m very grateful that this Center opened. It allows my child to develop psychologically and emotionally and improve academically. If more such centers open in our city, it will be a huge plus for both children and parents.”