«We need to be attentive to everyone»: the story of Vinnytsia lawyers of the Legal Development Network

Publication date: April 7, 2022

War-torn Ukraine is writing its history – a heroic chronicle of a strong, invincible people who hold on and defeat the russian invaders. At the same time, the history of the country consists of the stories of human lives. Each of them is noteworthy, each is an invaluable experience, a testimony to events that will never be forgotten, and also – the life values of Ukrainians. The story of how the lawyers of the Legal Development Network together with volunteers helped pensioners evacuate to Ivano-Frankivsk oblast from the shelling of Kyiv is shared by the head of the Vinnytsia CSO “Podillia Center for Human Rights” Mykhailo Bardyn.    

Liuba and Pavlo, a married couple from Kyiv, were evacuated to the village of Kuty in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast after the shelling of the outskirts of Kyiv. Kind people sheltered them and their little dog in a private house. Neighbors shared products with them and supported them.

A month passed… The money the couple had with them was running out, and the pensioners felt more and more depressed and confused every day.

Local volunteers, who learned about the situation of Liuba and Pavlo, turned to the Vinnytsia CSO “Podillia Center for Human Rights”: how to help the couple?“Did they apply for state aid in the amount of UAH 6,500? And do they receive a pension? ” – the head of the organization, lawyer Mykhailo Bardyn, asked first of all.

In response, he heard that no, Liuba and Pavlo have no income. The pension was received at the post office in Kyiv. Now, of course, they can’t get there. They don’t know where to apply for state aid, either.

Mykhailo Bardyn explained that it is possible to help pensioners by starting with the procedure of registering a temporary residence. Volunteers did so immediately. In particular, the fate of the couple was taken care of by a local volunteer Zorіana.

Next, they had to go to the local branch of the Pension Fund of Ukraine (PFU) and transfer the couple’s pension to a bank card. Volunteers personally accompanied Liuba and Pavlo to the PFU district office, where they drew up an electronic application and sent it to the Fund’s headquarters.

For state aid, as recommended by the lawyer, they applied to the social security department of the local community – to draw up a corresponding application.

• IDPs from the capital can also be helpless, so we need to be attentive to everyone in the field, – Mykhailo says.

He adds that today Liuba and Pavlo feel much better. Now the case according to the decisions of the official services and the support of pensioners who have found temporary shelter in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast will become appropriate.

Photo to the article: Marton Monus/picture alliance via Getty Images (a woman in the photo has nothing to do with the characters in this material).

P. S. More relevant information on legal and humanitarian issues – is in the special section #StandWithUkraine. It accumulates materials that may be useful to those who suffer, whose rights are violated as a result of the war between russia and Ukraine.

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