Like many women in Ukraine, I am the head of the household and feel a lot of responsibility to support my family. I am also an aid worker: Until Feb. 24 of last year I had worked in various positions for HelpAge in eastern Ukraine for seven years, including as area manager in Donetsk and Lugansk regions in the last year — now I work from western Ukraine. My colleagues and I, and all humanitarian workers, have to be mentally robust to carry out our work as best we can. And we need to be fully supported by our employers.
Before the war and the dramatic change that Feb. 24, 2022, brought, we had a small but powerful team in the east of the country, supporting the most vulnerable older people who had been enduring war since 2014. It means a lot to me personally to be making a difference in so many people’s lives. Older people truly are vulnerable in war. A lot of them fear moving away from their homes even if they are under near-constant bombardment. They are not open to change at their age. Many don’t have a family to support them. I don’t think there’s anything more tragic than needing safety and care — and having neither.
After eight years of providing humanitarian assistance, HelpAge was considering supporting more long-term development.
About the author
Victoriia Panchenko
Victoriia Panchenko is the programme lead for HelpAge International in western Ukraine. Prior to February last year she had been working for HelpAge in Eastern Ukraine for more than seven years.
