Hotline: +38 (066) 567-00-16
Support
    Support
    News

    The strength of family in times of trial: four stories for International Day of Families

    On May 15, the world celebrates International Day of Families—a day meant to remind us of the importance of family as the fundamental pillar of every person’s life. During times of war, the value of family warmth, mutual support, and care becomes even more evident. It is the family that serves as a source of resilience, hope, and inner strength, helping people endure the most challenging moments.

    For this day, we have gathered four stories of families who, despite war, loss, displacement, and daily challenges, preserve their love and ability to care for one another. Their experiences also highlight the importance of the support provided by the team at the NGO “Responsible Citizens” in partnership with UNICEF.

    The Osipov Family, Kharkiv Region: Resilience and Courage

    The story of the large Osipov family is a tale of resilience, genuine love, and maternal strength that holds the family together in the toughest times.

    Tetyana is a mother of three children and the wife of a serviceman. While her husband, Serhiy, defends Ukraine, she finds the strength every day to support her twin daughters, Regina and Sabina, and her three-year-old son, Mykhailyk. The boy was born in the spring of 2022—a time when their community was left without electricity due to shelling. That year was marked by great losses.

    The family never left their native Malynivka, despite the ongoing hostilities. However, the experiences took their toll: the children developed anxiety, and Tetyana felt exhausted.

    “I knew there was a mobile team working in the community. When my children started attending the Child-Friendly Space, I realized that my family needed comprehensive support, and I reached out for help,” Tetyana shares.

    Tetyana shared that, through working with the specialists from the NGO “Responsible Citizens,” the family was able to address issues they couldn’t handle on their own. Thanks to the activities, the children’s anxiety levels decreased, and they gained more self-confidence.

    Free individual consultations with a psychologist and an art therapist transformed Tetyana’s emotional state and supported her children. The twin girls, Regina and Sabina, adapted better to school, while little Mykhailyk gradually learned to interact with other children. For Tetyana, this became the first step toward inner stability.

    Humanitarian aid from UNICEF, provided through the NGO “Responsible Citizens,” enabled the family to secure seasonal clothing for the children and basic hygiene products for Tetyana. The organization’s team helped the family address their most pressing everyday and psychological challenges.

    “Responsible Citizens” supported the Osipovs in overcoming both practical and emotional difficulties. Even amidst the realities of war, the family finds warmth in simple things: walks, shared breakfasts, smiles, and dreams of a peaceful tomorrow.

    The Nakonechny Family, Kharkiv Region: Support That Brought Back Smiles

    At the onset of the full-scale invasion, the family from Kharkiv relocated to the Berestynska community, which was not under constant shelling. There, in a small village, together with their five-year-old daughter, Oleksandra, they tried to start a new life.

    Oleksandra’s father joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces—a source of pride but also anxiety. “Oleksandra often asked when her dad would come back. At first, she drew pictures of him, but later she started saying she was very worried. I didn’t know how to comfort her,” recalls her mother, Iryna.

    Iryna learned about “Responsible Citizens” from an acquaintance who had also been forced to relocate. In December 2024, Iryna reached out for help to the specialists of our mobile team.

    Iryna’s main request was to prepare her daughter for school, as kindergartens in the community operated only online. Oleksandra hardly interacted with her peers and, instead of playing, became absorbed in the anxieties of the adult world.

    Oleksandra was invited to the Child-Friendly Space, where she began attending play-based activities and working with a speech therapist, psychologist, and art therapist. Step by step, she started to open up: she made new friends, her fear of communication faded, and a smile appeared on her face more often. “I finally have friends,” the girl shares. Later, she added, “I’m really worried about my dad, but I know he’s okay, he loves me, and he’ll come back soon.”

    When the family unexpectedly faced a new challenge—they urgently needed to find new temporary housing—the team from the NGO “Responsible Citizens” responded quickly. They managed to secure a safe place for the family to relocate and provided support during this period of uncertainty.

    Alongside emotional support, the family received essential humanitarian aid: children’s clothing, hygiene kits, and financial assistance. Iryna also began attending parent support groups to restore her own emotional resources and learn how to better help her daughter.

    “I sincerely thank the entire team that stood by us during our most difficult times. Your support helped me stay strong and brought a smile back to my child’s face. Thanks to you, we felt that we were not alone. This isn’t just help—it’s hope that life goes on and that we can cope with it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!” Iryna adds.

    The Sova Family, Dnipro Region: Starting Anew

    The Sova family was forced to leave their home in the Kherson region due to the occupation and threats to their safety. Together with their three young children—Anya, Veronika, and Romchyk—they moved to relatives in the village of Lozuvatka, hoping for peace and a fresh start.

    However, even in a safer place, the family faced significant challenges. The children exhibited high levels of anxiety, and the eldest daughter displayed extreme withdrawal and fear of adults—consequences of experiences no child should endure. The mother, Kateryna, focused on caring for the young children, while the father, Roman, began working to provide for the family’s basic needs.

    It was during this time that the family first connected with specialists from the NGO “Responsible Citizens,” which operates in the Lozuvatka community to provide psychosocial support.

    For the past six months, the children have been regularly attending the Child-Friendly Space three times a week. This place has become a safe haven for them, where they can play, learn, communicate, and gradually overcome psychological barriers.

    The middle daughter, Veronika, also receives speech therapy support. Thanks to the organization’s systematic assistance, the family has accessed specialized services and comprehensive humanitarian aid. “Responsible Citizens” provided the Sova family not only with resources but also with a sense of support, care, and professional guidance during their challenging period of adaptation.

    The organization’s team works to ensure that every child has the opportunity to develop and restore emotional balance. Kateryna shares, “Our family is sincerely grateful to the NGO ‘Responsible Citizens’ for their care, compassion, and genuine desire to help. Thanks to their support, we felt that we were not alone in these difficult times. This is not just an organization—it’s a community of caring hearts.”

    The Tolstov Family, Donetsk Region: A Space for Recovery and Creativity


    When the Tolstov family was forced to leave their native village of Torske in the spring of 2022 due to the threat of shelling, they could not have imagined the challenging journey of adaptation and recovery that lay ahead.

    Initially, they moved to relatives in Lyman, and later, in February 2023, to Kramatorsk. It was there that they celebrated their son Sashko’s third birthday.


    Yuliya, the mother, was on maternity leave. Before the war, she worked as a school psychologist, while the father, Maksym, tried to find part-time work. The family lived off savings they had set aside for their own home. However, a destroyed house, lack of stable income, and constant worry for the safety of their son and husband left a heavy mark. Yuliya’s psycho-emotional state required support.

    The Tolstovs learned about assistance from “Responsible Citizens” through neighbors. By the summer of 2024, our team visited them, assessed the family’s needs, and offered individualized support.

    At the time, Sashko barely spoke, was frightened, and needed both speech therapy and psychological help. Individual sessions with a speech therapist and psychologist were organized for the boy, along with group activities involving art therapy and play. These helped him socialize better, relieve tension, make friends, and find a space for creativity. Sashko is an incredibly creative child: he loves painting with salt, molding volcanoes, and crafting toys. His creations are truly imaginative.

    Yuliya received psychological consultations and was taught self-regulation and relaxation techniques. Gradually, she managed to stabilize her emotional state and return to working online.

    The family also received a hygiene kit, a voucher for children’s clothing, and was registered for financial assistance. We are genuinely delighted to have been able to support this resilient family during such a challenging time. The best measure of our work’s impact came from the words of the child himself.

    “I don’t want to leave here; I want to stay here all the time. I really like it here. I want to work and play with Alyona (ed. – the art therapist),” says Sashko.

    These stories are a testament to the strength of family and the importance of support. Each one reflects a belief in a future that begins with caring for the youngest and mutual help.

    The assistance is provided as part of the UNICEF project “Strengthening Community Capacity to Provide Essential Protection and Resilience Services in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipro, and Zaporizhzhia Regions,” implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens.”

    Більше новин