Imagine losing everything you’ve ever known in an instant. This is the reality for Tatyana Nikolaevna (41) and her two daughters, Daria (17) and Vlada (12).
Tatyana graduated from the Chernihiv Cooperative Technical School in secondary special education and has lived in her house since birth, as have her children. She works at Ukrposhta, visiting older people in villages and helping distribute pensions. “In my work, I enjoy communicating with people and traveling the roads, especially to the villages where the journey takes about an hour. I love looking at our nature. Our family never had a car, so I’m happy when I go 😊,” she says.
Tatyana also enjoys cooking and baking. Her eldest daughter, Daria, is studying to be a veterinarian and loves animals. They have a cat and a dog. The younger daughter, Vlada, enjoys spending time with friends, riding bicycles, and rollerblading. She dreams of learning to play the guitar and becoming an interior designer.
The war has taken a toll on Tatyana’s family. Daria experienced nervous breakdowns and an epileptic attack, requiring extensive treatment and visits to a psychologist. Vlada has also suffered physically and emotionally, retreating into herself and initially struggling to speak well. Despite their hardships, Tatyana uses every bit of money she has to support volunteers and the Armed Forces.
When the war began unexpectedly in Ukraine, Tatyana was at work, and her children were at home with her parents. After returning home, they quickly gathered essentials and took shelter in the cellar. The situation grew so dangerous that they had to evacuate to Chernihiv. Tatyana’s father stayed behind initially to protect their home but was eventually forced to leave due to heavy shelling and join the family in the city.
On March 6, the family received devastating news: both of their houses were destroyed. It was unbearably painful to realize that everything they had known and cherished was gone in an instant. In the face of this loss, the family moved to the Ternopil region, where they spent two months in shelter. When the active hostilities subsided, they returned to their village only to find their home completely destroyed.
In April, Ryan and I (Josh Hackworth) met the Pavlenko family on our first visit to Ukraine. We were so touched by their story that we decided to sponsor a home for them. On June 13, Hope and Horizons will present them with a brand-new home! We know it can’t erase the tragedy they’ve experienced, compensate for their loss, or replace the memories of the home they grew up in, but we believe it is a fresh start toward their new futures, one with hope for brighter tomorrows.