Oleksandr and Nina's daily struggle to provide for their children in Ukraine
HI supports vulnerable people affected by the war in Ukraine, so they can access the daily essentials they need. Oleksandr, Nina and their 5 children are among them.
: Family photo with Oleksandr, aged 44, his wife Nina, aged 41, their 5 children (from left to right: Yaroslav, Natacha, Sviatoslav, Sasha, Katya) and Nina's mother, Natalia, aged 66, live in village of Chaplyne in Dnipro oblast, Ukraine. | © M.Monier / HI
Oleksandr, 44, his wife Nina, 41, live with their five children (Yaroslav, Natalia, Sviatoslav, Sasha, Katya) and Nina's mother Natalia, 66, in a tiny house with just two small rooms in the village of Chaplyne in the Dnipro region of Ukraine. This former mining engineer and his family fled the fighting near Donetsk in 2016 before settling in this remote village. Oleksandr has had to abandon his profession and take on odd jobs in the village to support his family.
Oleksandr talks to HI about his experience.
With the escalation of the conflict, our situation has become desperate
" I'm the father of a family of 5 children. There are the twins, Katya and Sasha, who are now eight years old. Then there's Sviatoslav, who's six and has a disability. He was diagnosed with developmental delays when he was just an infant. Looking after him is a real challenge, but we do our best. There's also Natacha, who is four, and the youngest, Yaroslav, who is just one. With all these little ones, life is a whirlwind. For my wife and me, it's non-stop. We have to make sure everyone is fed, clothed and cared for. Some days we feel like we're fighting a losing battle. Three years ago, with the escalation of the conflict, the situation went from difficult to desperate.
I'm paid less, and prices are skyrocketing for everything from food to public services. We used to try to supplement our income by growing our own produce, but this year the drought has made that almost impossible. It's heartbreaking to have to ration our food and make tough choices about what we can afford.
I'm worried about being able to pay for my disabled son's care
My son Sviatoslav was diagnosed with epilepsy just as the war broke out, and he needs special treatment, which also comes at a cost. When I can't pay, I have to go into debt or do favours for people, which is all the more difficult now that so many are leaving because the front line is closing in. I worry all the time that I won't be able to pay for the care he needs.
Despite all these difficulties, my family is incredibly resilient. At the start of the war, we were all very scared when we heard explosions, but the children eventually adapted to the air raid warnings and bombings. They've learned to take cover and stay calm. We do our best to protect them from the worries of adults, but it's not always easy. There are days when I feel like I'm barely holding it together."
