Written by Lauren Geall

As Stylist’s digital writer, Lauren Geall writes on topics including mental health, wellbeing and women’s issues. She’s also a big fan of houseplants and likes to dabble in film and TV from time-to-time. You can find her on Twitter at @laurenjanegeall.

Three Ukrainian women tell Stylist about the challenges they’ve faced over the last 12 months.

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The conflict which had, up to that point, been largely contained to the country’s eastern borders, spilled over to the rest of the country, with missile attacks and air raid sirens quickly becoming a part of everyday life for millions of Ukrainian people.

One year on from the start of the war, people have been forced to adapt their lives – but there is still a lot of urgent need. The UN estimates that 17.6 million people inside Ukraine are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, with more than 5 million people having been internally displaced because of damage to their homes or Russian presence.

The war has also claimed the lives of at least 8,000 civilians. And among all the chaos, women and girls are facing additional challenges, from gender-based violence and trafficking to widening gender gaps in hunger, education and poverty, on top of the ongoing trauma of trying to protect themselves and their families.  

“There’s been a lot of prolonged stress, a high level of trauma,” explains Marysia Zapasnik, the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Ukraine country director. “That’s what’s having a real impact, particularly on women, this constant fear of being unable to protect their family members, whether that’s their elderly parents or children, especially because many have husbands who are in the army.”

Alongside delivering essential aid to those who need it, the IRC has also been providing support for women struggling with the long-term trauma caused by the war, both in the form of safe spaces and more robust psychological support.

These safe spaces provide everything from help securing essential documents (as many fled their homes without them) and recreational activities such as yoga classes and art therapy to specialised support for women affected by domestic violence. 

“These safe spaces are designed to try and bring a sense of normalcy into the lives of women and girls,” Zapasnik explains. “Many of the women that our teams speak to in these safe spaces are going through things but they put on a brave face on the outside, so they think they are the only one who is feeling that fear. The safe spaces are a lovely way that they can get together with other women and realise that everyone is struggling and share their coping mechanisms with each other.”

As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, the IRC is committed to providing support for every person who needs it for as long as necessary. Keep reading to check out the stories of three women who have accessed the vital services.  

Oksana, 40

Oksana has been attending art therapy classes at the IRC’s women’s centre in Dnipro, in the southeast of Ukraine. She worked in tourism before the war and continues to work online where possible selling plane and train tickets. She was forced to flee her home when the war broke out.

“I found out about [the IRC centre] through a Telegram channel,” she says. “I signed up and took a look… I really liked it. I attend art classes. I’ve never done [art and design] before. I’ve never painted. I’ve literally never done it, so I decided to try something radically new for me. I didn’t think I could do it. I thought what I do will turn out to be horrible. But I’m doing it well, and I’m having a lot of fun. I’m very grateful to this centre.”

As well as the welcome distraction the art classes provide, Oksana appreciates the warm community the centre has attracted.

“The atmosphere is very warm here, everyone who comes here is very open,” she says. “At the moment, everyone in the world is absorbed in problems, and here, people come to switch from it to something else. So this energy of warmth and in addition to it, the process which brings pleasure is very cool. It probably helps that people come here with this very idea of doing something, to create something.

“This is very important in today’s world, in this tension. It is extremely important. I think it is sometimes more important than some kind of material help, because when you calm down, when you have a balance, you can find a way out, find a job, find a way to earn something somewhere, so you open yourself up.” 

Yevgeniya, 36

After a Russian rocket fell dangerously close to their home, Yevgeniya’s family decided to brave the 10-hour drive from Kharkiv to Dnipro to seek safety. When they arrived, they were given emergency aid, and since then Yevgeniya has been attending English classes at the IRC centre.

“When the war escalated, it took time to accept the fact that it happened for real and that you have to move on, that you have to understand how to act, what to do, and where to seek help in this new reality,” she says. “I mean, we arrived in March but began to re-register documents saying that we are displaced people in April. It took us a month to come to our senses a little bit.”

It was when Yevgeniya was beginning to adjust to life in Dnipro that she saw the support on offer at the IRC women’s centre, and decided to take part. There, she met Tetyana, another displaced mother who has become a close friend.

“We came up to the fountains the day we met, and while the kids were walking around and talking, we also communicated, got to know each other, and asked who came from which city and how long ago,” she explains. “Everyone shared their feelings about the situation, about life here and what we do.

“We talk to each other and hang out if there is such an opportunity to walk around. The kids are playing together and spending time together, and they have [somewhere] to direct their energy. Meanwhile, Tetyana and I talk to each other to distract ourselves from the situation. And this is a new acquaintance as well. She is from one city, I’m from another and met in a third one. That is how it can be.” 

Tetyana, 34

When the war first broke out, Tetyana was living in Sievierodonetsk, a city in Luhansk Oblast in the east of Ukraine. It didn’t take long for the shelling to hit the city, and she was forced to flee with her husband and three-year-old child to find safety – a decision she didn’t find easy.

“I was born there and just everything, all my life passed there,” she says. “That is why it was very difficult to leave it all behind immediately and go. It was necessary to leave the town because it was really terrible and cannot be expressed in words when you are sitting in a basement with your child under the shelling.” 

Now settled in Dnipro, Tetyana takes English classes at the IRC centre with her new friend Yevgeniya and says the boost it gives her has been transformative.

“When you come to the centre, you leave it so fulfilled, more energetic, and you have the desire to live despite the constant anxiety,” she says. “You receive useful information, communication, new acquaintances and friendship here, which is something that the majority is currently lacking because most people live in the news cycle. It is very difficult mentally because you get bogged down.”

Though Tetyana still dreams of being able to return home to Sievierodonetsk, she and her family have accepted they might not be able to do that anytime soon. However, even after a year of war, she remains hopeful for the future.

“We want to live a happy life and raise our child,” she explains. “Maybe to have another baby to have someone to play with. We believe that our country will prosper and we will live happily in our home country. I hope that the war will end. That we will be able to sleep calmly, to live an ordinary and peaceful life.” 

Images: IRC

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