The traumas and stressors caused by the war are countless for both displaced individuals and those who have remained at home, often alone. Since 2022 we have assisted approximately 5,000 people. We aim to reach another 4,000 in the next six months, with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), in the Odesa and Kherson Oblasts.
In Ukraine, walking through the streets, life seems to move slowly. People, now accustomed to living amidst conflict, have developed an extraordinary level of resilience. Days pass in an atmosphere of apparent normality.
Unlike other contexts where we work, in Ukraine you don’t see malnourished children or people dying from hunger. The challenges here are different from those in any other country we operate in. Life is lived under the constant tension that this apparent normality could suddenly turn into something frightening and unpredictable. Unpredictability is what defines this context – everything can change in an instant.
The stressors faced by both those who have fled and those who have stayed are countless: exposure to violence, physical injuries, illnesses, displacement, separation from loved ones, grief, loss of homes and possessions, disruption of education, and, in some areas, shortages of food and water. Access to essential services such as healthcare, social assistance, and legal protection is also severely limited.
The consequences are even more severe when considering the impact on children. Many displaced children spent the early months of the conflict in isolation with their families and were then forced to flee, leaving behind their homes, schools, and friends. Others have not attended in-person school since 2022, at the start of the conflict, or even since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down. Most schools are closed because they are unsafe or lack adequate bomb shelters. Others operate in shifts, with lessons divided between morning and afternoon, as emergency shelters are not large enough to accommodate everyone during attacks.
The isolation and traumas of war have profound effects on children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Some children have stopped talking to others, struggle to form relationships, or show excessive attachment to their parents.
In the “newly accessible areas” – regions that have recently become reachable after prolonged periods of intense conflict – people experience psychological issues that differ from those in areas farther from the frontlines, such as Odesa. In these frontline areas, trauma is immediate and visible. In Odesa, the trauma is more latent, but still deeply felt.
In Kherson Oblast, residents have experienced unimaginable trauma, including seeing their homes destroyed or losing loved ones. Here, we provide psychological support through two protection teams, made up of social workers and psychologists. These teams work to identify the primary needs of the individuals and families we assist, referring them to specialised services or providing essential items such as winter clothing and beds. Our activities focus on rural and remote areas, where destruction is visible at every turn.
In both the Kherson and Odesa regions, we have been providing psychological support. This includes support for displaced individuals and those who remain in their communities but find themselves alone. Among those we assist are women whose husbands have been conscripted to fight on the frontlines. In our group psychological support sessions, feelings of anxiety, sadness, hopelessness, sleep disturbances, fatigue, irritability, anger, and psychosomatic symptoms are expressed daily. Over time, we have created spaces for listening and sharing – fixed points of connection for families, children, and isolated individuals who cannot find comfort elsewhere.
Since 2022, we have supported approximately 5,000 people, including women, men, and children. Our specialised teams of psychologists and social workers have created stable spaces for listening and support, enabling individuals to undertake long-term recovery journeys. To reach the most vulnerable people in remote areas, we also deploy mobile units providing emergency psychological first aid. With AICS’s support, we aim to assist another 4,000 people in the Odesa and Kherson Oblasts over the next six months.