The Vyalets Family: Sergy, Lyudmila, Victoria, Milana
On the morning of February 24, Sergei’s sister called with shocking news: the war had begun. At first, the family couldn’t believe it. Lyudmila called everyone she could, including her mother in Senkvivka, who confirmed the terrifying reality – columns of tanks were advancing, and rockets were flying ovehead. Soon after, the family heard explosions and the rumble of tanks near their own home.
Despite the chaos, Sergei and Lyudmila tried to maintain a sense of normalcy, going to work that morning. By noon, it was clear they needed to leave. They packed a few belongings and fled to the forest, seeking safety. Hours later, they moved to a nearby village, carrying only essential documents, convinced their displacement would be temporary.
Unfortunately, the war followed them. After two weeks, shelling began in their new refuge. Cold, hungry, and scared, the family took shelter in a cellar. On March 17th, the devastation became unbearable when they received the heartbreaking news that their home was gone, destroyed in the fighting.
When the Russians retreated, the family returned to their village, only to find their house reduced to ruins. Left with nothing but their plot of land, the Vyalets family began dreaming of rebuilding their life. Their dream is simple yet profound: to return to their land and rebuild the life they lost.
The Semendyay Family: Tatyana, Vladimir, Nadezhda
Like so many in Ukraine, the Semedyay family was thrust into the horrors of war without warning. Shelling and gunfire forced them to seek refuge in their cellar, which became their shelter for most of the fighting. Though it was cold, damp, and filled with fear, the cellar offered a small sense of security amidst the chaos.
On March 3rd, the shelling intensified, and the family realized they couldn’t stay any longer. Five days later, they found an opportunity to escape to Chernihiv, where kind strangers opened their home to provide temporary shelter. They remained there until the Russians retreated.
In April, they returned to their village, holding onto hope for a semblance of normalcy. Instead, they were met with devastation. Their home, the place they had built a life together, was gone-destroyed by fire.
“That moment opened up the cruel truth to us,” Tatyana recalls. “Our house no longer existed. The fire had destroyed everything that was our home, changing our reality forever.”
Now the Semendyay family is faced with the daunting task of rebuilding their life from nothing, clinging to hope for a future where they can once again have a place to call home.
The Novozenko Family: Natalia, Anatoliy
Since the 1970’s, Anatoliy and his mother, Nataliya, lived a quiet, peaceful life in the village of Novoselivka. Together, they built a beautiful home, a place filled with family warmth and the fruits of their hard work. But on April 16, 2022, their dream was shattered. The Russian invasion destroyed everything they had-jome, belongings, farming equipment, livestock-all consumed in the flames of war.
When the war began, Nataliya and Anatoliy made the brave decision to stay in their beloved village. Gunfire, explosions, and destruction became their daily reality. they moved from house to house, from cellar to cellar, desperately seeking safety amidst the chaos. Yet, even in the face of such danger, they refused to abandon their land.
Today, the Novozenko family lives in a small construction trailer on their plot, enduring difficult conditions without the comforts of a proper home. Despite their hardship, their resilience shines. They dream of rebuilding their house, reclaiming their garden, and restoring the life they once knew. For them, the land is more than just a place-it’s a symbol of renewal, hope, and a future they are determined to create.
On February 24, Halyna’s niece alerted the family about the war. Despite this, Lyudmyla went to work while Halyna prepared for evacuation. Her grandson soon joined them, and they sheltered in their damp, cold basement with Halyna’s immobile mother. Heavy shelling shattered their windows and doors, forcing them to seek refuge at Halyna’s sister’s house, transporting the grandmother in a wheelbarrow and bringing their dog along.
With air bombings continuing, the family reached Chernihiv and stayed with friends, but constant fear of encroaching soldiers led Lyudmyla to move them further away. They evacuated to stay with relatives for two months. Halyna’s mother’s recent death deeply affected the family.
On March 18, 2022, a direct hit destroyed their home. Returning to their village in the spring, they started living in a modular town. They hope for a miracle to rebuild their home on their property.
Lyudmyla is pregnant and expecting in the fall, while her husband fights on the front lines, protecting the family and working to restore freedom for his country. Her greatest desire is for the safe return of her husband and the birth of their child on the home site where three generations prior had been born.
Tetiana was born and raised in the house destroyed by occupiers. She gave birth to her children there, a place of peace and love before the war. On February 24, the family was home, unaware of the invasion until tanks and explosions surrounded them. Tetiana’s sister urged them to flee. Except for Oleksandr, the family and their do escaped to Voznesensk, where a kind family sheltered them until the area was de-occupied.
During the attacks, the family lost communication and were separated. On March 3, they learned their home was destroyed. Initially, Tetiana couldn’t grasp the reality. Once the shock wore off, she cried, hiding her tears from her daughters. The children were devastated, losing their beloved rooms after recent renovations. Their only solace was Oleksandr’s survival; he had narrowly escaped the shelling and moved to a church in the city. Once the fighting subsided, the family reunited.
The Yashchenkos lived with strangers in Voznesensk until a modular town was set up in Novoselivka. They’ve been there for two years but lack space and proper living conditions. They hope to return and rebuild their home and lives together. $55,000, that’s the price tag for a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house, but dignity for a father and destiny for a family are priceless. Will you consider giving through Hope and Horizons to help the Yashchenko family? Together we can restor hope and provide a future for this deserving family.
The Kuzhelniy family built their home themselves and had lived there since 1998. Volodymyr bought the land, and over 20 years, they invested all their efforts and resources into constructing their home. Before the war, they couldn’t believe such a conflict would happen. However, on the morning of February 24, explosions shattered their disbelief. The news confirmed that Russia had attacked Ukraine, and a state of emergency was declared. Foreign tanks rolled through their village, and Ukrainian soldiers dug trenches. the family helped the soldiers, initially thinking the conflict would be brief.
During the village attack, the family sheltered in their cellar as shells landed nearby. On March 10, their house was hit in several places but remained standing. Deciding to flee to Chernihiv, they experienced a bomb dropping near their shelter, causing injuries and fatalities. This prompted them to move further to the Kyiv region, seeking safety from the ongoing threat.
After their village was de-occupied, the family returned to find their home reduced to ashes. The pain of this loss was indescribable, and it took them almost a year to clear the debris. During this period, Yaroslav underwent surgery, adding to their difficulties. Currently, they rent a small apartment because they cannot afford anything more.
They often travel to their plot of land, where they have a garden that helps feed them. They long to return to their land and have a home of their own.