Sonia is 8 years old. And only recently has she been able to smile again.

For a long time, she stayed silent, avoided eye contact, and kept to herself. She spent part of her childhood under occupation — living in constant fear. Every day, she was terrified she’d never see her mother alive again.

And her fear wasn’t unfounded. One day, Russian soldiers came to their home and took her mother away for interrogation. They threatened her with a knife, shouted at her, and demanded to know the whereabouts of her brother — a Ukrainian soldier. Then they locked her in a basement. It’s a miracle she ever came back.

While her mother was gone, Sonia was forced to attend a Russian-run school. She had to study distorted propaganda, sing patriotic songs in Russian, and pretend everything was fine.

Eventually, with the help of volunteers, the family managed to escape. Today, Sonia and her mother are safe — staying at our Hope and Healing Center. They’re receiving support, and Sonya is slowly returning to a life where she can trust, play, and simply be a child again.

Stories like Sonia’s are not unique. We’ve heard hundreds. That’s why we shared hers with Robert Müller, the Austrian Ambassador to Ukraine, during his recent visit to our center outside Kyiv.

It was Ambassador Müller’s second visit — and this time, he took a deeper look into the comprehensive support model that Save Ukraine has built for war-affected children. This includes programs for children evacuated from shelling, kids with disabilities, orphans, and survivors of sexual violence or family loss.

Austria has been one of Save Ukraine’s most committed partners in helping children heal from the trauma of war. Ambassador Müller wanted to see firsthand how that partnership is changing lives.

During our meeting, we also discussed ways to expand our work — especially in the areas of locating, rescuing, and rehabilitating stolen Ukrainian children, many of whom remain in Russian-controlled territory.

The Ambassador assured Austria’s continued support. Because every child we rescue is another victory of life over war.

*Names have been changed for safety reasons.