As hostilities in the Sumy Region escalate, aid workers provide vital support and renew hope for those affected
By Lyudmyla Malyuk, Viktoriia Andriievska
Front-line villages and towns in the Sumy Region, close to the border with the Russian Federation, continue to suffer from ongoing violence, forcing residents to flee for safety as humanitarians work to provide support.
"We don't have a house. Like many in our village, it has been destroyed. Where my brother's home once stood, it is now just a hole in the ground," said Tetiana, a resident of Loknia Village in the Yunakivka Community. Humanitarian Mission Proliska, an NGO active in the region, jointly with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, helped her and her family, including a bedridden grandmother, to evacuate to Sumy City.
Many families, like Tetiana's, come to one of the two transit centres in Sumy City, operated by NGO Pluriton in coordination with local authorities. Here, evacuees receive immediate support and register for cash assistance, which allows them to buy what they need. Many people also need assistance with documentation and psychosocial support.
The decision to leave is heart-wrenching for older people. "I stayed as long as possible, but it became terrifying. War is a war," said Valentina from Yunakivka, who was forced to abandon her farm after repeated attacks, which left her village without power and water. She recalls the agony of leaving her home, her animals and the life she had built.
"We just want peace, a peaceful sky above and our home," Valentina said softly, echoing the wish of countless others who the violence has displaced. Until then, humanitarians stand ready to provide the support that is so desperately needed.
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