Finding Family in a Time of War
Even in the midst of the war in Ukraine, Kidsave remains committed to our core mission: finding loving families for children.
Shortly before the war began, three young siblings lost their mother to cancer. Their father had already left them soon after the youngest girl was born. After the death of their mother, there was no one to care for the children, so they were taken to a state-run shelter.
In Ukraine, these shelters serve as a temporary holding place for children before they are placed in a foster or adoptive family or moved into an orphanage. The siblings, two girls named Serafima and Masha, ages three and four, and their six-year-old brother, Sasha, were still residing in this temporary shelter when the war began.
When Kidsave team member Olena found out about these kids, she immediately started to look for a new family for them. Soon, Olena found Tamara and Ihor, foster parents in western Ukraine, who were more than happy to care for the three siblings.
Tamara and Ihor moved from the Luhansk region to Donetsk in 2014. When the first war began, they were finishing construction on a house large enough for their family of 11 children—one biological child and ten in foster care. Although the system calls the children foster, Tamara and Igor say, “This is just a big family; they all are our children forever.” Since 2014, several of the children have grown up and moved out, but five—three boys and two girls—were still living with them.
When the invasion began on February 24, the family had to think quickly about what was best for their children. After making arrangements for care for their 19-year-old daughter, who was fighting cancer in a hospital in Kharkiv, the family could take refuge in western Ukraine, away from the hostilities, in a home provided by the local church.
When Olena reached out to them about the three siblings in need of a family, they didn’t think twice.
“We feel that giving our love and family to children, especially those from occupied territories, is the meaning and purpose of our lives,” said Tamara. “Some people came to us with war to destroy our world. But we want to create and give peace to as many children as we can”.
When Olena asked them why they didn’t try to leave the country like so many others had, they said “We couldn’t. We are so grateful that we can save more kids from this horror where they live in fear every day. And we are so grateful that we have plenty of space in the house where we can stay and that we can give kids love and everything they need to be safe and happy.”
Tamara and Ihor made the long journey from Galich to Slavyansk to appear in court to begin the process of taking guardianship of the trio. Although all adoptions have paused under
Martial Law, temporary guardianship or foster care is permitted, especially for families like Tamara and Ihor who were licensed to provide such care before the war began. After months at the shelter, the tight-knit siblings were thrilled to be moving in with a loving family.
Today, the three siblings are safe and happy with Tamara, Ihor, and their children. Tamara describes them all as sweet and loving, especially the big brother, Sasha. The two girls, Serafima and Masha, have struggled some with the transition, especially after losing their mother and being moved from place to place at such a young age. Tamara and Ihor are committed to supporting them and getting them the help they need to grow up happy and healthy.
Though the challenges of war continue, the family has refuge in western Ukraine where they can continue to care for and raise children who would have otherwise been forced to face the nightmare of war alone.
