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.
The Sklaryova Family: Nadiya, Olena, Kateryna, Ivan
Nadiya Sklaryova, 72, has lived a life filled with both joy and sorrow. A pensioner, she and her late husband settled in their village in 1977, where they built a home and raised a family. Tragically, she lost both her son and her husband, leaving her to raise her daughter Olena, now 50, and care for her grandchildren, Kateryna and Ivan.
On February 24, 2022, Nadiya woke to her daughter’s tearful words, “Mom, war!” Concerned for her grandchildren, Nadiya immediately made her way to Chernihiv to meet Kateryna, while Ivan decided to return to the village. With little money and no expectation of war, Nadiya was forced to leave behind everything they had worked for. The family walked and cycled to the neighboring village of Ulyanivka, where they found temporary refuge.
On March 18, Nadiya returned to see what had become of their home, only to find it reduced to ashes. Despite the devastation, Nadiya’s resilience led her to return to Ulyanivka and share the heartbreaking news with her family. When the Russians retreated on April 1, she found only the barn still standing and made a home there. The family later moved into a modular town, but they continue to dream of rebuilding their home and restoring the life they once knew.
The Shkabura Family: Yuriy, Galyna, Alina, Matviy, Anna
On the morning of February 24, Yuriy and Galyna Shkabura received a call from their niece in Kyiv—war had begun. Their son immediately evacuated his wife, daughter, and young son, but Yuriy stayed behind to care for his bedridden mother and help Ukrainian soldiers, delivering food and feeding the animals left behind by fleeing neighbors. Then, on March 16, a direct hit set their home ablaze. They tried to put out the fire, but nothing could be saved. That night, they slept in the garage. By morning, their village was under heavy shelling. As neighbors lay wounded, Yuriy and Galyna placed them, along with Yuriy’s mother, into a garden wheelbarrow and pushed them through the fields under fire to safety.
For three years, they have lived in shelters, struggling to rebuild their lives. Yuriy was injured in the war, losing most of his eyesight, making the future even more uncertain. Their greatest hope is to return to their land—a place where they once raised animals, grew crops, and helped feed their community. A new home would restore more than just shelter; it would give them back their independence, dignity, and a place where their family can heal.
The Kulgeiko Family: Olena, Viktor, Evgen, Marina, Anna
On the morning of February 24, Olena and Viktor Kulgeiko woke to the terrifying news that Russian forces had crossed into Ukraine. As explosions rocked the suburbs, they began packing, determined to leave with their children, Evgen and Marina, and their five-year-old daughter, Anna. They gathered with Olena’s parents, but her father, believing the conflict would soon end, decided to stay behind in the city.
The family fled, leaving behind their pets and livestock, unable to protect them from the shelling. On March 11, the devastating news came that their home had been destroyed—hit by tank fire and aerial bombardment. Viktor, unable to leave the city shelters, stayed behind to clear the wreckage and bury those who had been killed in the relentless shelling. When communication was finally restored, he made his way to his family, but by then, only the barn had survived.
After the Russian forces withdrew, Viktor was honored with a medal for his bravery during the defense of Chernihiv. Despite this recognition, the family now lives in cramped quarters, with little light or heat, but they continue to hold onto hope. Their daughter, Anna, whose New Year’s wish was simply to have a home again, dreams of returning to their land and rebuilding the life they once had.
Demchenko Family – December 2024
For Lyudmyla Demchenko, home has always been about family. When war forced them to flee, she clung to the hope that one day they would return—not just to a house, but to the life they had built together. For nearly two years, she, her mother Halyna, and their loyal dog Byron moved from shelter to shelter, grieving the loss of their home while waiting for a miracle. That miracle came through the generosity of many—friends, strangers, and a community that refused to let them lose hope.
In December 2024, Lyudmyla, her husband, and their newborn daughter celebrated Christmas in their very own home. After months of hard work and the unwavering kindness of donors, they unlocked the door to a fresh start—a place where their family could heal and rebuild. Their son now has a home to return to from school, and their baby girl will grow up surrounded by love, just as generations before her did. This home is more than walls and a roof—it’s proof that hope endures, and that even in the hardest times, people can come together to change a family’s future.
Yaschenko Family – December 2024
For Tetiana Yashchenko, home was more than walls—it was where she was born, where she raised her daughters, Alina and Veronika, and where love and laughter filled every corner. But on February 24, 2022, war shattered everything. As explosions shook their city, Tetiana fled with her daughters and their dog, while Oleksandr stayed behind, hoping to protect what he could. Days later, their home was gone. Reunited after weeks of fear and separation, they clung to each other, knowing that no matter where they lived, they were a family.
Now, after two years in temporary shelters, the Yashchenkos finally have a place to call home again—one built with love and generosity. Thanks to a compassionate donor, they unlocked the door to a fresh start in December 2024. Their new home reflects their spirit, with Alina and Veronika’s art bringing beauty to every room. Most of all, joy has returned. Oleksandr, once shaken by loss, is now fully present, laughing with his daughters and planning for the future. The Yashchenkos have more than a house—they have hope.
Kuzhelniy Family – February 2025
For more than 20 years, Volodymyr and Lyudmyla Kuzhelniy poured their hearts into building their home, never imagining they would one day see it reduced to ashes. When war came to their village, they sheltered in their cellar as shells rained down. Even after fleeing to safety, they held onto the hope of returning. But when they did, there was nothing left—only memories and the land they still called home.
Thanks to the generosity of many, including a significant gift from Way Church, the Kuzhelniys’ dream of rebuilding has become reality. In February 2025, Volodymyr, Lyudmyla, and their son Yaroslav moved into a home that not only restores what was lost but includes many of the upgrades they had once planned for their original house. Now, with space to gather, a garden to tend, and a future once again rooted in their land, their hearts are filled with gratitude. What was once only a longing has now been fulfilled—because kindness, faith, and perseverance made it possible.
Pavlenko Family – June 2024
When war tore through their village, Tatyana and her daughters, Daria and Vlada, lost everything—their home, their security, and the life they once knew. But even more devastating was the absence of the one person who would have done anything to protect and provide for them—their father. He had always dreamed of giving his family a safe and secure home, but now, that dream seemed impossible. Forced to flee, they sought shelter wherever they could, carrying nothing but the weight of their grief. Daria’s health suffered, Vlada withdrew into herself, and Tatyana, despite her own heartbreak, continued to give what little she had to support others.
But hope has a way of finding those who need it most. When we met the Pavlenko family, we knew we had to do something. Thanks to Hope and Horizons, they now have a home again—not just a house, but a place where life can flourish. And flourish it has. Daria is now studying to become a veterinarian, and Vlada even had the opportunity to spend a semester as an exchange student in the U.S. Their world has changed completely.
Through tears, they thanked us for stepping in and doing what their father would have loved to do—give them a new home. While nothing can replace him, this home stands as a testament to his love and the kindness of those who gave in his memory. Join us at HopeandHorizons.org to bring hope to more families, one home at a time.
Matsuto Family – June 2024
When war came, Mykhailo and Nadezhda lost everything. Their peaceful life, their home, and for a time, even their family. As their daughter Elena cared for patients in an occupied hospital basement, they took shelter in their root cellar, hoping to survive. Then, on March 5, an explosion set their home ablaze. With nowhere to turn, they moved from one temporary shelter to another, each day filled with uncertainty and grief.
Then, hope found them. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Hope and Horizons stepped in, offering more than just a house—a future. When we placed the keys in Nadezhda’s hands, she shared that in the depths of her suffering, she had prayed simply to die. But now, standing before her new home, she prays to live—to share the joy of this gift and be a gift to others.
Because of you, Mykhailo and Nadezhda are no longer just surviving—they are rebuilding, dreaming, and embracing life again. Visit HopeandHorizons.org to help more families step into hope, one home at a time.
Yarema Family – April 2024
When war came to their town, Tatyana and her son, Art, had nowhere to run. As bombs fell and enemy troops advanced, they took shelter in their root cellar, huddled together in the damp darkness, praying for survival. Days later, when the fighting finally subsided, they emerged to a heartbreaking reality—their home was gone, their community in ruins. With no place to go, they braved the harsh Ukrainian winter in a drafty construction trailer, facing each day with little more than hope.
Then, hope found them. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Hope and Horizons stepped in, offering them more than just shelter—a fresh start. A beautiful, fully furnished home now stands where uncertainty once loomed, a place where Tatyana and Art can heal, rebuild, and dream again. No longer defined by loss, they now walk through the doors of a new beginning, filled with gratitude for the kindness that changed their lives.
Your generosity makes stories like theirs possible. Visit HopeandHorizons.org to help rebuild lives—one home, one family at a time.