Another year of war in Ukraine has passed. The best way to describe PCPM’s aid is through the voices of the people it has reached.
In stories about war or crises, numbers often dominate – how many people have fled the country, how many have died, how much money has been allocated for aid or military operations. Today, we want to speak not about statistics and data, but about people.
Since 2014, we have been supporting those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. However, the past four years have been a time of particularly intensified assistance due to the full-scale invasion. During this period, as the PCPM Foundation, we have conducted interviews, observations, and countless conversations with people from Ukraine who have benefited from our projects. We are revisiting these stories now, because the perspectives of our interviewees are invaluable in shaping the narrative about the realities of war and displacement.
“After three years, we were finally able to spend an evening in silence.”
Amelia and Volodymyr struggled for a long time to find their place and regain a sense of stability. The war forced them to flee their hometown of Baranivka in the Zhytomyr region. The “Together Towards Independence” program was key to helping them become self-reliant. Through it, they were able to rent an apartment adapted for people with disabilities, receive language support, and rebuild their lives in Poland.
The full story is available HERE.
Tetiana – the road back to medicine
In Ukraine, she worked as a nurse for 14 years, graduated from Kharkiv University of Pharmacy, and ran her own pharmacy. With the support of a PCPM advisor, she applied for diploma recognition at the Silesian Medical University.
From the prosecutor’s office to a pastry shop – a story of passion and determination
Before the war forced her to leave Ukraine, Svitlana worked at a prosecutor’s office. However, her true passion was pastry-making. The war compelled her and her young child to flee. Without savings and unable to rent an apartment in Poland, she ended up in a collective accommodation center – a place that, as she says, became her “second home.” There, thanks to the kindness of others, she received the support that allowed her to think about returning to her passion. Through the program, Svitlana was able to focus on her craft and work, which ultimately led to opening her dream pastry shop.
“I had to start over, but that’s life.”
Ms. Natalia arrived in Białystok in April 2022 with her children and her dog. She took on temporary jobs – cleaning and cooking in various homes. Now she works with the Polish Red Cross, helping refugees herself.
The full article is available HERE.
How a Ukrainian writer helps patients
He is usually the first person Ukrainian patients meet at the MEDEVAC HUB in Jasionka. He explains where they are, how the HUB operates, and when they will depart for further treatment in hospitals across Europe. Serhiy Syniuk – a writer and translator – supports patients at the medical evacuation center run by PCPM, not only by translating from Polish into Ukrainian.
The full article is available HERE.
“I have always loved working with children and I truly want to return to teaching.”
For many teachers from Ukraine, this is a chance to return to the profession they love. Anna Bursa arrived in Poland from Kharkiv shortly after the outbreak of the full-scale war. At first, she lived in a hostel with her son and worked two jobs to save money to rent her own apartment. In Ukraine, she worked as a secondary school technology teacher and is eager to return to her profession. The PCPM Foundation supported her in the process of diploma recognition.
These six stories – each different and unique – represent only a fraction of the reality faced by Ukrainians in Poland. Many voices have yet to be heard. It is also important to remember those who continue to live in Ukraine, organizing their daily lives in wartime conditions – where between school bells or work breaks, an air raid siren may sound at any moment. Where power outages have become routine, and freezing cold seeps through the body while sitting in one’s own living room.
Everyone can support PCPM’s aid activities for Ukraine by making a donation to our fundraiser.
