“I regained the ability to enjoy the little things,” — Valentyna, Romny

Since the beginning of autumn, our mobile teams of psychologists and facilitators have been visiting communities where people live under constant stress caused by the war and often have no access to professional support. This became possible thanks to the project implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” in partnership with JERU – Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine, a joint initiative of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide — with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office.

One of the stories is the personal experience of Valentyna from Romny.

“I began to notice that even simple things were throwing me off balance. Conflicts in the family, misunderstandings at work, constant fatigue,” Valentyna recalls.

At that time, she was invited to join a group session with a psychologist. There, for the first time in a long while, she felt inner calm and began learning self-regulation techniques.

Later, Valentyna also sought individual support. At her request, the psychologist conducted an assessment of her son Sashko’s childhood fears and provided recommendations for supporting him. “I started reacting differently, understanding my child better. What seemed like small things turned out to be important for him,” she shares.

Today Valentyna speaks about the changes she feels within herself: calmness, clarity, and the return of joy in simple things. “I am grateful to myself for daring to seek help, and grateful to the specialists who created a safe space for me and helped me see my challenges from a different angle,” says Valentyna.

Within the project, residents of the Hrunska and Verkhnosyrovatka communities receive support. The assistance includes group sessions, individual consultations, and psychosocial support for adults and children.

We are here to ensure that people in frontline communities do not face their challenges alone.