Nadiia`s story
When home no longer felt safe, mother from Lviv found the strength to start again for her sons
It has now been three months since our arrival, and my sons have successfully adapted to their new school — they absolutely love it. Most importantly, they finally sleep peacefully at night and have almost stopped reacting to loud noises.
Nadiia has been a caseworker and consultant at USPUK since March 2022. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she provided consultations in refugee centres in Warsaw for several months and then continued working on-line from Ukraine. She now leads the Ukrainian Sponsorship Project.
"I am a mother of two sons, aged 6 and 9, from Lviv. For the past three years, we have been trying to adapt to life in a country at war. Although our region was considered relatively safer, in the summer of 2023, several rockets struck near our home. One of them landed in the Playground of the kindergarten right behind our building. The blast shattered windows in part of our home and across the neighbourhood.
After that terrifying event, my children began reacting very strongly to every air raid siren. During each alert, we had to rush to a shelter, as they no longer felt safe at home. Their fear and anxiety became part of our daily life.
It took another year and a half for me to gather the courage to move to the UK — mainly for the sake of my children. Their constant stress, disrupted sleep, and emotional exhaustion made it clear that we needed a safer and more peaceful place to live.
We were incredibly fortunate to be matched with a wonderful host family Lucy and Laurence — a kind and generous couple who support Ukrainians not only by offering a home through the Homes for Ukraine programme but also by being active members of a local organisation that regularly sends aid to civilians and soldiers in Ukraine.
Their support during our relocation was invaluable. They helped us every step of the way and continue to assist us in navigating the challenges of settling into a new country. They are truly caring people with huge hearts.
Our new home is located in a beautiful, quiet town in the south of England, surrounded by peaceful forests and stunning beaches. Living here has been pure joy. It’s the perfect place to recover from all the stress and tension we endured.
It has now been three months since our arrival, and my sons have successfully adapted to their new school — they absolutely love it. Most importantly, they finally sleep peacefully at night and have almost stopped reacting to loud noises.
You can make a difference
At USPUK, we support not only Ukrainian families on their journey to the UK but also the generous hosts who open their homes to them. From the moment they register on our website throughout their hosting experience, we are here to help.
If you’d like to help someone on their journey to a new beginning, consider becoming a host today. Visit our Become a Host page to learn more.