Warmth for the Family: The Story of a Rybalske Household That Received Cash Assistance to Prepare for Winter
In this photo are Lidiia Dmytrivna and Anatolii Leonidovych from the village of Rybalske in Sumy Oblast.
And behind this image lies a small story of its own.
The retired couple began preparing for winter as early as the beginning of September. Several times a week, they would ride their bicycles together to the forest, looking for anything that could be used to light their old stove. They brought back as many dry branches as they could carry.
“We need a lot of firewood. Our relatives and grandchildren visit us. We’ve lived in this home for many years; it’s old and has no gas heating. We keep warm and cook on the stove, and it needs firewood. So we decided to take the opportunity to apply for assistance,” Lidiia Dmytrivna explains.
They learned from their neighbors that at the NGO “Responsible Citizens” they could apply for cash assistance from JERU, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. At that time, registration had just begun in the communities of Sumy Oblast for support to cover people’s urgent needs.
The funds were transferred to the family’s account promptly. Lidiia Dmytrivna says that she and her husband immediately used the money to purchase high-quality firewood for the winter—so they would no longer have to cycle to the forest during the cold season.
“We are very grateful for this support. Winter is ahead, and we need a lot of firewood to keep warm. But now we’ve built up a good supply, and it will last us a long time—we won’t need to go to the forest anymore,” she adds.
The family of Lidiia Dmytrivna’s adult daughter also received cash assistance. The woman has internally displaced person (IDP) status, as she was forced to relocate from Okhtyrka after her home was damaged. Now Olena, her husband, and their two minor children are settling into a new place. Thanks to the funds received, she was able to undergo costly MRI examinations to check her spine and blood vessels. Doctors have already identified the issue and prescribed the necessary treatment.
The winter cash assistance program is implemented by Responsible Citizens NGO in partnership with JERU (a joint initiative of the international organizations Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide) with funding from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA).
Більше новин
-
Join our specialized training sessions in KyivThe public organization "Responsible Citizens," in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representation in Ukraine, is implementing the project "Enhancing Community Capacity in Providing Core Protection and Resilience Services."
-
Child-Centered career guidance: new approaches by “Responsible Citizens”The NGO "Responsible Citizens" participated in the annual scientific and educational event "Science Unites," held at the Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University on the initiative of the Municipal Institution "Center for Professional Development of Pedagogical Workers" of the Kryvyi Rih City Council.
-
“I was born during a war and lived to see another one”Nina Pavlovna lives in a settlement in the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region, a few kilometers from the front line. She lives alone, without family. Her only support is a former student who told her about a multi-purpose cash assistance program implemented by the NGO "Responsible Citizens" with support from Mercy Corps and funding from the UK government.
-
Taking part in strategic dialogue: How to improve support for those affectedThe team of NGO “Responsible Citizens” participated in an event organized by Mercy Corps within the LIVES 3.0 program, supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
-
“There Are More Kind People”: The Story of a Family Starting Life AnewThe NGO “Responsible Citizens,” in partnership with Mercy Corps Ukraine and with the financial support of the Government of the United Kingdom, continues its work in transit centers for internally displaced people.
-
A new wave of assistance continues at the Pavlohrad transit centerThis assistance is part of the project “Local, Inclusive and Multi-Sectoral Emergency Assistance to Conflict-Affected Population in Ukraine” implemented by Responsible Citizens in partnership with Mercy Corps Ukraine and funded by the UK Government.
-
How Psychosocial Support Operated in Donetsk Region in 2025In 2025, communities in Donetsk Region continued to live and work under conditions of constant danger and high psychological pressure. In this reality, Child-Friendly Spaces and mobile psychosocial support teams became important hubs of stability, helping children and adults cope with stress, trauma, and uncertainty.
-
A Mother of Three from Sumy Region: How Cash Assistance Supports a Family in a Front-Line CommunityThe project is implemented by NGO Responsible Citizens in partnership with JERU — Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine — a joint initiative of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide, with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office.