Little Sasha spent his early years under occupation with his mother and two brothers. Their village in Kherson region was overrun by Russians on the first day of full-scale war. Since then, Irina stopped letting her children go out onto the streets. And for good reason.

The family lived in constant fear due to raids, interrogations, and physical abuse of people. According to Irina, Russian soldiers could stop you on the street without explanation, seize your phone, check it, and take you to the station for questioning. There were also cases of neighbors informing on each other, and this betrayal among their own frightened no less. In such conditions, the Rochniak family endured for two years. Then Irina came across a contact from our “Hope and Healing,” center and she found hope for salvation.

She was worried about going into the unknown with her children. However, her doubts were finally dispelled after talking to our consultants. So the family set off on a difficult journey through Europe to Ukrainian-controlled territory. In the “Hope and Healing” center, we provided them with shelter, humanitarian, and psychological support. Here Maksym, Oleksiy and Sasha could finally sleep peacefully. And within three months, we offered the family to settle in a modular house in the Chernivtsi region as part of the Fort Home program.

” In Kyiv, we got answers to all our housing questions, we were met in Chernivtsi, taken to the modular house. And from the first minutes, we felt cared for with our children.” – recalls Irina.

Now the Save Ukraine team, together with partners and a large support community, continues to rebuild the life of the Rochniak family. And although little Sasha spent his first years in occupation, today he smiles more often and goes out onto the street with his brothers without fear.