This is Larysa Petrivna. She is 84 years old. And only recently has she been able to see the world around her again.

Larysa was born in Donetsk region and spent her entire life in her native village. But the war forced her to flee. Her village came under constant shelling. One day, while standing in line for humanitarian aid, a piece of shrapnel hit her in the eye. She lost almost all her vision.

Thankfully, our volunteers helped Larysa evacuate in time. She was brought to our Hope and Healing Center for elderly and people with limited mobility. Here, our residents receive not only shelter, but real care and support.

“We immediately noticed something was wrong,” recalls the center’s nurse. “We took her to an ophthalmologist. Larysa underwent a complex cataract surgery — free of charge. When she saw again for the first time and said, ‘I can see. I see colors!’ — everyone had tears in their eyes.”

After her recovery, Larysa moved into a cozy modular home in Irpin. It’s warm and peaceful there, with kind neighbors nearby. And every week, a caregiver from the center visits to help with daily needs and simply be there for her.

For the first time in a long while, Larysa smiled. And that smile is the most beautiful thing to see.

We never leave elderly people alone in the face of war. Save Ukraine is the only organization in Ukraine that systematically rescues elderly people with limited mobility.

Please share this story. It might help someone else find their path to safety.

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Special thanks to our partners LandsAid and Aktion Deutschland Hilft for supporting the project “Support for elderly and people with limited mobility in the Hope and Healing Centers.”
Thanks to you, we can continue creating safe, comfortable spaces for those who need it most.