November 15, 2023
News
The war in Ukraine has turned the lives of thousands of families upside down. Thirty-year-old Valentina Vozneak was in her last trimester of pregnancy when the war broke out. After enduring days and nights of bombing, Valentina decided it was time to leave with her children and mother to find a safer place. They chose Moldova as their refuge, and Caritas Czech Republic supported them with hygiene products and food vouchers to meet their basic needs.
Shattering the peace - bombing the quiet life
Before the war, Valentina lived in Serhiivka, a town in the Odesa region in Ukraine. She worked as an accountant at a spa centre and lived a quiet life with her husband and eight-year-old daughter Miroslava.
They were expecting to become parents for the second time when the war came. Daniil was born at the height of the war in a hospital in Odesa. At first, Valentina was optimistic. She believed the conflict would be short, and continued to work from home, remotely, wanting to maintain a normal life for her family. But after the heavy bombardment of her city, Valentina realised she needed a much safer place for her children and decided it was time to flee to Moldova with her mother.
Becoming a refugee at only 1 month of age
Valentina chose Moldova because of its proximity to Ukraine. Together with her children and her mother Svetlana (52 year), they crossed the border via Palanca, the nearest and safest route available at the time. It was not an easy journey. With a one-month-old baby in her arms and Miroslava constantly asking questions about where they were going and who was waiting for them there, Valentina and her mother managed to cross the border and make it safely to Moldova.
The family found shelter in a refugee placement centre in Calarasi, where they received accommodation and everything they needed for a peaceful life.
Miroslava quickly adapted to her new life in Moldova. She continues to study online and loves maths. The placement centre has a playroom where children get involved in various activities such as painting and dancing, and Miroslava enjoys going there. She has made friendships, both with other refugee children and with local children who come to play in the centre's courtyard.
Valentina, too, is getting used to her new life in Moldova. She manages to work remotely because she has the support of her mother, who looks after Daniil, who is now 10-month-old and who became a refugee just one month into his life.
Sveltana wants to return home even if there is still a war
Although there is peace and quiet in Moldova, it is a harder adjustment for Svetlana, Valentina's mother.
Svetlana has worked all her life as a nurse at the spa centre in Serhiivka. She has only one wish: to return home. "I want to go back home to Ukraine even if there is war there. It is my home and my whole life," Svetlana tells us through tears. Homesickness is not giving Svetlana any peace, but she is aware that her daughter needs help and she will stay in Moldova for a while until Daniil is more independent.
Valentina misses home too: "We don't lack anything. We just miss our home. Recently we needed medical services for the children and we got them for free. We were very well treated and cared for, but we miss home, we miss our extended family. We are away from the bombings, but also away from our home."
Valentina's family received support from Caritas Czech Republic in the form of food vouchers and essential hygiene products, thus providing them with basic needs.
How Caritas Czech Republic supports refugees in Moldova
Since the early days of the war in Ukraine, Caritas Czech Republic has equipped 12 placement centres across Moldova to provide dignified housing for refugees.
Thanks to the support of the European Union, Caritas Czech Republic provided immediate cash assistance to refugees, especially vulnerable groups such as single mothers and elderly people. At the same time, we have improved access to healthcare for refugees, including psychological support, to help them cope with the trauma of war. In total, we have supported 15,000 people in this way.
