Ukraine: Holding on to home — Supporting families in Cherkaska Lozova

When we enter Alina’s* yard, she and her teenage daughter, Vira*, greet us. There’s warmth in Alina’s voice, though it is tinged with quiet fatigue. Vira is on the autism spectrum, and the family lived through months of intense shelling.

Before the war, Alina shared this home with her mother, who passed away during the early months of the invasion. Her son stayed nearby for work. When airstrikes intensified, Alina decided to stay — evacuation was not an option.

“We would sleep on the floor, dressed and ready to run. I’d sit with my daughter, cover her ears, wrap her in a blanket and give her a motanka doll to hold,” Alina recalls. “Every day, I lit candles in front of a map of Ukraine covered with icons. I asked for protection — I’ve never prayed so much in my life.”

One day, an airstrike destroyed a nearby house, and the blast shattered their windows. They weren’t injured — Alina believes a linden tree in their yard shielded them. But the damage brought cold and health issues. Neighbours helped board up the broken glass, and for months, plastic sheeting served as insulation.

A return home — despite the cold

Svitlana*, another resident of Cherkaska Lozova, moved to the village as a teenager. She now lives in a single-story house with her husband, two daughters, and elderly mother-in-law.

During a period of heavy shelling, they spent a month without electricity. Eventually, the family evacuated to Bohodukhiv district, leaving their dog with relatives and their cat with neighbours. Returning after three months was not easy — shelling continued, and the house was cold.

“There were cracked windows and broken frames,” Svitlana says. “In winter, it drops to 13 degrees in the kitchen. We use so much gas to heat the house that the bills become unmanageable.”