“He started smiling again. He became happy.” The story of 14-year-old Ruslan and his family after several forced relocations

“The most important thing for me is that my child is okay. We moved a lot, and every move was difficult for him,” says Elina, the mother of 14-year-old Ruslan.

Because of the war, their family was forced to leave their home more than once. They moved from the Novohrodivka community to Pokrovsk, then to Dobropillia, and in November 2025, they settled in the Oleksandrivska community.

For Ruslan, every move meant a new place and new surroundings. He continued studying online, but because of the constant relocations, he needed additional English and math classes to catch up with his schoolwork. He had almost no contact with his peers. After experiencing shelling, the boy also developed fears and sleep problems.

“When we moved to Dobropillia, our house was damaged by shelling on the very first day. My husband and I were at work, and our son was home alone. He heard it coming and managed to hide in the hallway. It happened last year. It was the scariest thing for me,” Elina recalls.

Elina learned about the opportunity to receive assistance from the NGO “Responsible Citizens” by chance. At the store where she works, she got into a conversation with a customer and told her about her family and their recent move.

“I told her that we had moved from Dobropillia and that before that we had lived in Pokrovsk. She listened to me and said, ‘Let me help you.’ She told me that there was an opportunity to receive support both for my son and for us. That meeting really came at the right time.”

In June 2026, Elina reached out to specialists from the mobile team of the NGO “Responsible Citizens” for assistance for her son. Together with a case manager, they determined that the family needed comprehensive support.

Ruslan received clothes and shoes, began working with a psychologist, and started attending additional English and math classes. His mother received advice on how to register with a family doctor. His father contacted the employment center to learn about employment and retraining opportunities.

“They helped us adapt. We were constantly under stress because of the moves and all these challenges. It was very difficult. But your specialists supported us and helped us gradually get back on our feet,” Elina says.

Gradually, the changes in Ruslan also became noticeable. After working with a psychologist, he is better able to cope with his fears and sleeps better. Additional English and math classes helped the boy become more confident in his knowledge.

“If before he used to say, ‘I don’t know, I don’t understand,’ now he tries to answer and tell us something.”

Ruslan also started communicating more with his peers. Along with this, he began to have goals and dreams again.

“He started smiling, he became happy. And he has goals and dreams,” his mother says.

The boy has already made one of his dreams come true — he recently bought an electric scooter, saving up money for it.

Now Ruslan continues to study online at his school. The family is gradually settling into life in their new place. After everything they have been through, Elina wants one thing most of all — for her son to simply be a child: to study, dream, and not be afraid of what tomorrow will bring.

“More than anything, we want peace. And our own home — so that our son can study properly, have a childhood, and we can simply live. Without missiles and explosions.”

This publication and the assistance described in it were made possible through the generous support of the United States Government in cooperation with Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH). The contents are the responsibility of the NGO “Responsible Citizens” and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Government.