After two years of despair – comfort and safety: volunteers helped IDPs from Donetsk region find housing

Publication date: October 10, 2024

Author: Tetiana Pliasunova, Agency for Democratic Development Of Donbas NGO

Through the volunteers of the Agency for Democratic Development of Donbas NGO, a family of IDPs from Donetsk region was able to rent an apartment in Zaporizhzhia and start a new life free from fear and danger.

In March 2022, Ms. Iryna and her granddaughter Sofia, who she has been raising alone for many years, left the Russian-occupied territory and moved to Zaporizhzhia. Harsh living conditions and constant danger forced the family to look for a more suitable place to stay. However, after resettlement, the woman faced a new problem: finding a place to live.

Iryna went around to many local agencies and landlords, but each time she was rejected or faced with excessive requirements and high prices. So for about two years, she and her granddaughter lived in a dormitory with acquaintances. But, sadly, over time, they made it clear that they weren’t happy with such a long stay. Despair gradually overtook Iryna, but she could not afford to lose hope for Sofia’s sake.

About a year ago, at the most psychologically difficult moment for Ms. Iryna, she found herself at one of the meetings of IDPs held by the Agency for Democratic Development of Donbas. There, Oleksandr*, a volunteer of the organization, heard her and Sofiika’s story. He immediately realized how important it was to help this family and involved other volunteers in the process.

Oleksandr started looking for possible housing options through the organization’s contact network. The volunteers worked hard to collect the necessary resources and organize meetings with potential landlords. And soon enough, their efforts began to pay off!

Finally, after a couple of months, they managed to find a small but cozy apartment in a quiet area of the city. Oleksandr personally helped Iryna with the lease and provided the family with the basic necessities for a comfortable stay.

Iryna could not hold back her tears of gratitude when she and Sofiia entered their new home for the first time…

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The material was created with the support of the international charitable platform GlobalGiving, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the Legal Development Network Non-Governmental Union.

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