“The most important thing is to be with your child and to be safe.”
Maryna from the village of Volodymyrivka in Donetsk region is raising her four-year-old son.
Before the war, she had a peaceful life — her own home, a small household, and a job as a shop assistant. It seemed that hostilities would not reach their village, but the explosions gradually came closer.
When the full-scale invasion began, her son was only three months old. Maryna recalls that at the time, she feared not for herself but for her child. She is grateful she managed to give birth before the war started, having heard stories of women forced to deliver under shelling, in basements.
Over time, the situation in the community worsened: drones flew overhead, and attacks targeted infrastructure and factories. When the frontline came within several dozen kilometers, Maryna decided to evacuate. The hardest part for her was leaving home and family — but the thought of her child’s safety gave her strength.
In September 2025, she and her son left for Pavlohrad. There, at a transit center, specialists from the NGO Responsible Citizens registered her to receive multipurpose cash assistance.
Maryna recalls: “Everything went very smoothly. The specialists took care not only of me but also of my son — they took him to the playroom so I could calmly fill in the forms. It may seem like a small thing, but for a mother with a small child, it means a lot.”
Maryna used the received assistance for essential needs — food and warm clothing. After all she had been through, it helped her feel at least a bit of stability.
Now Maryna and her son live with relatives in Dnipro. The city is familiar to her, so adapting was easier. She hopes the frontline will not advance further — and that she will not have to flee again. Her biggest dream is peace and returning home.
The NGO Responsible Citizens continues registering people for multipurpose cash assistance at the transit centers in Pavlohrad and Lozova, within the project “Local, Inclusive and Multi-sectoral Emergency Assistance to People Affected by the War in Ukraine”, implemented in partnership with Mercy Corps Ukraine and financially supported by the Government of the United Kingdom.
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Inclusive Education Project Launches in 10 Schools in Zaporizhzhia RegionOver the next 3.5 months, the team from the NGO Responsible Citizens will work with students with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as with the specialists who support them.
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Catch-Up classes launchedIn partnership with the Government of the Faroe Islands, catch-up classes have been organized since September 2024 for children who have experienced educational los...
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Emergency Cash Assistance for People Affected by Shelling in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia RegionsThe NGO “Responsible Citizens,” in partnership with Mercy Corps Ukraine, provides emergency cash assistance to residents of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts whose homes were damaged or destroyed as a result of shelling. The support is aimed at rapid response and covering the most urgent needs of affected families.
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April 4 — International day for mine awareness and assistance in mine actionResponsible Citizens NGO works systematically to ensure that mine risk education is accessible to everyone — especially to children and families living in frontline areas. We firmly believe: knowledge saves lives. And although awareness is growing, the risks remain high. That’s why we go beyond Mine Risk Awareness Week — our activities take place year-round.
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Resilience Center in Zaporizhzhia: over 1,600 requests in six months of operationThe Resilience Center was opened with the support of UNICEF and funding from the Government of Germany through the development bank KfW. The Center was established in cooperation with local authorities and social services of the Department of Social Protection of the Zaporizhzhia City Council, and implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens.”
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Youth at the Centre of Ukraine’s Recovery: A Discussion within the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026On 24 June, a panel discussion entitled “From Aid Recipients to Change-Makers: Youth at the Centre of Ukraine’s Recovery” will take place in Gdańsk as part of the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026. We invite representatives of government authorities, civil society, international organisations, and donor organisations to join the discussion on the role of youth in the recovery of communities and the country.
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Resilience Point in Prykolotne: How a Community in Kharkiv Region Is Strengthening Its Resilience Despite the WarThe project is implemented by the NGO Responsible Citizens in partnership with JERU – Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine (Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide), with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).
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Kupiansk — Bohodukhiv — Kharkiv: the story of a family restored by supportThis is a story about fulfilling every child’s right to protection, development, and support — and about how the team of “Responsible Citizens,” together with UNICEF Ukraine, makes these rights a reality every day for families who have experienced war.