As Kidsave celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are speaking with Kidsave alumni—many who have families of their own now—retired staff, friends, dedicated volunteers, and families formed through Kidsave across the years as we celebrate 25 years of love and family.
“Above all, love helps me continue living.”
When we first met Galina, Kidsave’s team was helping her to flee Mykolaiv with her seven-day-old baby girl, Sofiya. It was April 2022, just eight weeks into the war in Ukraine, and the bombing in Mykolaiv was constant. Thanks to Kidsave team leader Olena Shulha, Galina and her newborn were evacuated to an apartment in Ivano-Frankivsk, a region in Ukraine still impacted by the war, but much safer than Mykolaiv.
On February 23, 2024, nearly two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, we spoke with Galina again about what life has been like for her and her family. After their evacuation from Mykolaiv, Galina and Sofiya stayed in the apartment in Ivano-Frankivsk for eight months. While this area was safer, it was not untouched by the war. The entire nation of Ukraine has been impacted by ongoing power failures and outages because of shellings and attacks, often leaving Galina’s refuge cold and dark. What made it the most difficult, though, was being alone.
Because Galina’s husband was eligible for the military draft, he had to stay behind in Mykolaiv, forcing Galina to evacuate with baby Sofiya alone. The separation from her husband and the difficulties she and her young daughter were facing without him were ultimately what drove her to return to Mykolaiv.
Not long after her return, Galina’s husband was injured, and he slipped into a coma. Galina was able to be by his bedside, and thankfully, with time and support, he woke up and recovered. This health scare was just one of the struggles and dangers the family has faced since being reunited in Mykolaiv, but the joy and comfort of being together has made it worth it.
Now Galina is helping other women affected by the war. “When I returned home and saw the situation in Mykolaiv, I realized that my strength was needed in my hometown,” said Galina. “Helping people, helping women, helping children. I have returned to volunteer work and am now taking classes to open a day care center in Mykolaiv for single women, women with children, internally displaced persons, and military wives and children.”
Galina’s passion for helping women, mothers, and children is desperately needed. There are an estimated 3.7 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine right now with an estimated 14.6 million people across the country who need humanitarian aid assistance. Because of the mandate that men ages 18-40 must remain in their home region to fight, most households with children have essentially become single parent households, creating a caregiving burden on women as the sole provider.
Galina is working to create a safe space for women to come and spend time together and receive help while their children are taken care of and supported. “They do not know what will happen next. They do not live in real time. They either stay in the past or hope for some distant future after the war but do nothing for it. It’s a postponed life,” said Galina. “Or if they have experienced violence in the occupied territories, it takes a lot of effort to get them out of this state. Both mentally and psychologically. They are very traumatized by the war.”
Galina credits her family for giving her the courage to endure the dangers of war and find strength to help others. “It’s [the] love of my family, the support, the fact that we are together again. The time when I lived far away from my husband is a very painful memory for me,” she said. Overwhelmed with emotion, Galina went on. “That’s why [I treasure] this unity, the fact that we are together, and we can support each other and can watch our child grow up together, a child we wanted so desperately. Looking at her smile, hearing her say her first words, you realize it is all worth fighting for. Above all, love helps me continue living.”
Despite everything she has been through, Galina has a bright outlook for her daughter’s future. “Sofiya’s children will live in a happy country,” she insisted. “They will not know of the suffering we are going through right now.” She and her husband do everything they can to shelter Sofiya from the war—both physically and emotionally—and they strive to ensure she has a happy life.
Although Kidsave is not a humanitarian aid or crisis response organization, we are committed to helping the children of Ukraine. We began working in Ukraine in 2016 at the request of the Ukrainian government to help reform the overburdened child welfare system, find homes for orphans, and provide mentorship and support to older youth transitioning out of institutional care. When the war began, we knew we had to act. Since February of 2022, our team has evacuated over 31,000 families and children to safety.
Galina and her family are just one example of the millions of Ukrainians fighting every day for survival, for freedom, and a brighter future for their children. They struggle daily, living in damaged homes, some without electricity or clean water, relying on humanitarian aid deliveries to survive. Kidsave’s team has delivered 3,000 tons (6 million pounds) of food, water, and other supplies over the last two years to hundreds of thousands of people across Ukraine. In addition to this effort, our team has continued to run our Corporate Mentoring program for older youth and help place orphans in family care settings.
The work is not done. The war is not over. In fact, support is needed now more than ever. Many other organizations have turned away and stopped their support, but Kidsave remains committed. We need your support to continue this life-saving work in Ukraine.
Visit our Ukraine page to learn more about our efforts there and how you can get involved.
Kidsave’s 25th Anniversary
Join us as we celebrate our 25th anniversary at the Kidsave Miracles Gala! Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available now. Are you a Kidsave family who wants to share your story? Learn how here.
