“I dream of creating a collection of dolls in vyshyvankas and a children’s book about Ukraine”
Ms. Lyubov from the Luhansk region, a participant in the “Family to Family” project, creates educational tactile books for children, sews fabric toys, and makes wreaths and original dolls. Once, creativity was just her hobby, but today it has become a way to recover from her experiences and build a new life.
“We simply got used to living under shelling”
Before the full-scale russian invasion, the family lived in Popasna in the Luhansk region. After graduating from technical college, Lyubov worked on the railroad for over 25 years. Most recently, she worked as an occupational safety engineer. Her husband was also a railroad worker; their children attended preschool and school; the family owned their own home and was making plans for the future.
But that peaceful life came to an end back in 2014…
The front line split the family apart: Ms. Lyubov’s parents and sister remained in Pervomaisk, while she, her husband, and their children were forced to flee to Svatove.
“My youngest son was only seven months old at the time. During the shelling, I would take him down to the cellar right in his stroller. My oldest was eleven – the stress caused his acetone levels to spike, so we had to call an ambulance. And because of all the stress, my milk dried up – I had to feed my baby formula,” she recalls.
In 2015, the family returned to Popasna. It seemed as though life was gradually getting back on track. But there was no peace.
“I’ll never forget the horrific shelling in 2017, when we were at work, hiding under our desks,” the woman sighs. “Then we rushed out into the street and didn’t know where to run. Everyone had children. The kindergarten was at one end of town, the school at the other. Where should we go first? We’ve just gotten used to living amid the shelling…”
Evacuation into the unknown
In February 2022, war once again burst into the family’s life.
“The houses nearby were already on fire. The shelling was getting worse. It was very scary,” the woman says. “I asked my older son to take a blanket down to the cellar so the children would be warmer while waiting out this horror there, and my husband and I began to pack quickly. Suddenly – a missile struck. My husband shielded our younger son with his body. We went downstairs, and the house next door was already on fire…”
The family stayed in Popasna until March 15, and then evacuated.
“My husband put us on the train, while he stayed behind in the city. Later, he managed to grab some things from the house and drive them out. On the train, someone asked me, ‘Where are you going?’ I replied, ‘Where is the train going?’ – ‘To Uzhhorod.’ – ‘Then I’m going to Uzhhorod’”.
At first, they ended up in Berehove, and later Ukrzaliznytsia sent the family to Chernivtsi. There, they were given two rooms in the dormitory of the railway lyceum, and Lyubov continued to work for Ukrzaliznytsia. Her husband, as a railway worker, was assigned to work in Kharkiv.
A home that remains only in her heart and in photo…
Life in Chernivtsi is relatively peaceful, says Ms. Lyubov, and the people here are friendly. It was the support of these people that helped the family adapt to their new life. Ms. Lyubov’s mother, who also fled the combat zone and lives in the same dormitory, now finds solace in working the land. “At first, she planted flowers near the dormitory, creating beauty for everyone. Then the staff at the library – where my mom loves to go for books – learned about her hobby and offered their devoted reader a garden plot. Now she grows onions and carrots there and brings them into town – she already has regular customers and friends here. The children have also made friends with kids their own age, but they miss their friends from their old life terribly. Dmytro, my younger son’s best friend, is in Dnipro. My son Mykola is in constant contact with him. We all miss our hometown, but we understand that we won’t be returning home: Popasna has been completely destroyed. Our home is gone… Back in April 2022, a neighbor managed to sneak in and sent a photo of what was left of our house. Almost nothing. Just a stove—like in movies about World War II… Mykolka is taking the loss of our home the hardest. He left all his favorite toys there. We left with just backpacks—how much can you really fit in them? I let my son take only three toys. When he found out that the house had burned down, he cried bitterly… We had a wonderful school – a new stadium, a theater studio; the children even traveled to France to perform plays. Everything has been destroyed. It hurts to remember. How much suffering the war has brought upon all of us…”
Creativity that heals
Even before the war, Lyubov was passionate about crafts. “I’ve always loved making interesting things with my own hands,” she says. “Creativity has always been my outlet, and now it helps me take my mind off reality”.
At first, she made wreaths, and later began sewing educational books for children. She received her first grant to develop her business while still in Svatove – that’s when she bought a professional sewing machine. The machine stayed at home…
“I even told my husband: ‘You should have taken my sewing machine with you instead of my fur coat,’” she sighs.
Now the artisan creates modern educational books with removable elements – they’re practical, durable, and safe for children. Together with her younger son, she makes toys for charity school fairs in support of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “And at work with my colleagues, we also organize various charity events to support our boys, our defenders…”
The “Family to Family” project helped Ms. Lyubov feel more confident in her business. With the grant funds she received, she purchased a color printer, a laminator, supplies, and an iron. Now she dreams of learning how to create her own templates, registering as a sole proprietor, and selling her products online.
But Ms. Lyubov’s greatest wish is for the war to end. “I want people to stop dying. I want children to grow up in peace, for everyone to be able to sleep soundly, make plans for the future, and enjoy every day”.
Our interviewee also has a big creative dream: to create a collection of handmade dolls wearing traditional embroidered shirts, each representing a different region of Ukraine. She also wants to create a children’s book about local history in the form of a travel game, which will help children learn about the history, traditions, and culture of every corner of Ukraine.
“I want children to learn about their homeland with love”, Ms. Lyubov says with a smile.
The “Family to Family” project, which the “Caritas-Spes Ukraine” Regional Office is implementing with financial support from Caritas Polska in the Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia Diocese and the Lviv Archdiocese, provides assistance to Ukrainians who find themselves in difficult life circumstances as a result of the war. The project provides cash assistance and grants to help recipients start their own businesses.
