How social assistance changes lives: the story of Yulia’s family from Kryvyi Rih

Yulia from Kryvyi Rih is raising four children on her own. Her life changed forever after the loss of her husband. Left alone with her children, Yulia took on the full responsibility for her family. “It’s a huge responsibility. My husband and I mostly relied only on ourselves—that’s how we were used to living. But the war changed everything,” Yulia shares.

Her youngest, Polina, still attends kindergarten, eight-year-old Petrus is growing up curious, her eldest daughter is already 19, and 15-year-old Yan is a boy with special needs. Yan is blind due to a genetic condition that caused underdeveloped optic nerves. Yet, he refuses to give up—he dreams of creating software for blind people. “I’m a programmer, and I already have four projects. I specialize in software for the blind. There’s so little available for us, especially in Ukraine,” Yan explains.

“The boy studies remotely, plays music, and participates in competitions,” his mother adds proudly. “He sings beautifully. He takes part in various contests online, and we have awards and diplomas to show for it.”

Yulia’s family receives support through a joint project by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” and UNICEF. The organization provided social assistance and helped address urgent needs. “We realized that with psychologists, we could offer them more benefits,” says Ivan Berezhansky, a UNICEF social worker. “We didn’t just process UNICEF payments or compensation for the loss of a breadwinner—we also assisted with paperwork, advised them on where to turn for help, and stayed in touch so the family wouldn’t feel alone with their problems.”

“We needed this psychological support because there were issues we didn’t know how to handle or resolve on our own,” Yulia admits.

UNICEF’s support became a lifeline for the family during their toughest moments. “They supported us so much. We’re incredibly grateful. Truly,” Yulia emphasizes.

Today, Yan dreams of helping other blind people through his projects. “I even perform in competitions and believe my skills can already help people who can’t see,” he shares. Thanks to this support and their own determination, this family finds the strength to move forward and overcome challenges.

The NGO “Responsible Citizens” provides such comprehensive support in four regions of eastern Ukraine, reaching people facing difficult life circumstances. To facilitate this assistance, 48 Child-Friendly Spaces have been established, where families with children can access a range of services. Additionally, 52 mobile teams of specialists travel to remote and frontline communities.