In the village of Zorya, located approximately 35 kilometers from the intense frontline battles of southern Ukraine, Halyna, a 59-year-old pensioner, reflects on the dire situation she has endured. Sitting on her terrace in the winter sun, her small two-room house stands behind her, filled with broken glass, shattered furniture, and crumbling plaster.
“The first step is to have a roof over your head,” Halyna says, her gaze fixed on the remnants of her home. Despite the challenges, she has chosen to stay in Zorya, a place nearly deserted due to the ongoing conflict, out of a sense of duty to assist her elderly neighbor.
During the most intense battles in Zorya, Halyna contemplated leaving the area, but she remained to provide support to her older neighbor. “I wouldn’t have stayed during the fighting. But I did. It was terrible. My husband died by the tree just outside the road,” she recounts, pointing to a shattered tree 50 meters from her terrace.
Halyna attempts to move beyond the horrors of war, but the difficulties persist. Living on a disability pension of approximately 60 USD per month, her roof has large holes, she lacks furniture, her shed is in ruins, and she is not able to pay for repairs.
In her struggle for survival, Halyna receives assistance from Right to Protection, a partner of DCA in Mykolaiv. A social worker has been dispatched to help her seek additional aid, and support her with restoring documents and filing for compensation. “I am completely alone. I have no children or husband. It is hard for me to manage everything alone. That’s why the help is invaluable,” she says.
Halyna’s hope lies in the possibility of receiving special assistance and compensation soon, allowing her to repair her roof. For now, the immediate focus is on having a roof over her head, a challenge she has faced for two winters. Fortunately, during particularly cold nights, she can seek refuge with her neighbour.
