Yurii and Tatyana are from Kherson, Ukraine. They came to live in the Transnistrian region in February 2022, after spending several days in the basement of their house in Ukraine, which was being bombarded at the time. They began to fear for their lives and decided to leave Ukraine. They managed to reach Tiraspol, where they were hosted by Tatyana’s sister.

They have two adult children and grandchildren, who are scattered around the world. Both of them have a respectable profession as dental technicians, but unfortunately, they do not have a job at the moment.

Over the past two years, Tatyana and Yurii have also cared for Tatyana’s mother, who recently passed away. At the ages of 53 and 57, they were left with nothing from what they had managed to achieve up until that point.

In Tiraspol, the couple managed to settle in and find friends at the rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, as they also have hearing and speech impairments. Despite all the challenges, the family has beautifully integrated into the sports and recreational activities organized at the rehabilitation center and thanks to the financial support they have been receiving from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), through ADRA Moldova, Yurii and Tatyana were able to secure their basic needs.

They are grateful to have learned about this assistance early on during their stay on the left bank of the Dniester, and especially to the donors who have the openness and funds for those in need. Currently they continue to receive monthly multi-purpose cash assistance under the IOM-ADRA project, which eases their life. The two remain optimistic, facing the challenges in their lives with peace and patience, and they affirm that kindness is a quality that will always endure, which is a wonderful encouragement!