05/20/2026
When Everything is Lost: The Daughters of Charity Bring Hope to Ukraine
*Trigger warning: disturbing content*
For the past four years, the conflict in Ukraine has devastated families and communities, reshaping daily life with uncertainty and loss. As husbands and fathers are called away to serve their country, many women have been left to shoulder the full responsibility of caring for and protecting their children – often under unimaginable circumstances.
Yet even in the midst of this hardship, there are moments of light. The compassion and solidarity of the Daughters have become a source of hope – a steady presence offering care, dignity, and strength.
The Daughters operate a home in a city in Ukraine where individuals and families arrive after fleeing the East. There, they care for 30 elderly, isolated, and disabled residents, as well as refugees currently seeking shelter. They also provide material assistance to displaced families and work to improve living conditions for vulnerable individuals struggling with extremely limited resources.
What follows is the story of one mother: a testament to the terror she has endured, the resilience she continues to show, and her resolute determination to provide for her children, alongside the compassionate care of the Daughters of Charity who now accompany her.
What was your life like in the first days of the war?
I can compare it to the sky falling down to the earth. There were constant explosions and loud noise. My first feeling was despair. I wanted to go outside, open my arms, and ask them to shoot me. I had no strength. I felt helpless. The explosions became stronger and stronger, and they continue until today.
For three months we lived without water. We collected rainwater. Russian soldiers took our food. My children and I were often hungry. A girl ran out of her house to follow her cat and was shot with a machine gun. I saw men tied to chairs and tortured with electricity. I remember all of this. It comes back to me in nightmares like a horror movie.
When did you decide to leave and how did it happen?
On September 19, 2022, we left through Zaporizhzhia. At the beginning we had to pay “volunteers” 15,000 hryvnias per person. Only after they received the money did they let us pass.
The image that stays with me most is a young woman, about 20 years old. She was lying dead by the road. A dead newborn baby was lying on her chest. The umbilical cord was not cut. People said the Russians did not allow her to give birth and she got no medical help. The road to Zaporizhzhia was full of dead bodies. These were terrible sights. I will never forget them.
Where did you work before?
I finished school and became a professional assistant. People with this education were shot in the first days of the war. They shot at residential buildings from planes. The silence was the worst. When it was quiet for half a day, we did not know what would happen next. We learned to recognize the weapons by sound and distance.
After a difficult journey we arrived in Sumy. I looked for a job and found work as a deputy director of the war administration. I also worked as a volunteer. I went to dangerous areas, the so-called hot spots. I brought food and basic supplies. When the situation in Sumy started to look like Kakhovka, I did not hesitate. I asked volunteers to help us leave.
What were your first feelings when you arrived in [the city where the Daughters are]?
It was very hard. Another foreign city. I immediately started looking for work. I went to the local municipality. They told me there was no work for me.
A friend who rented me a house told me to go to the [Home where Daughters serve]. When I arrived, I noticed cleanliness first. Then I saw people and Sisters smiling at me. I had no choice. I had never worked with sick people before. Life forced me to do it.
I must earn money to feed my three children. I also wanted to be busy, so I would not think too much about the past … there is a family atmosphere here. I got used to this place quickly.
What will happen next, time will show. I have nothing to return to. My home was destroyed. Here I must build my life again.
Hope Through Material Aid
Sister Z. states: “The ongoing war and uncertainty make life very hard and [people] often feel meaningless. In these tough times, receiving help, like food and supplies, gives people strength and hope. It shows them that they are not forgotten and that they matter. Many men are taken to fight in the war … there aren’t enough people left to support their families. Material aid is crucial for survival during war. It helps those who remain and reminds them that they are not alone.”
