Ukrainians remain ‘resilient’ after three years of war

Relief work highlighted on third anniversary of Ukraine invasion

A Ukrainian-themed wreath on the door of 10 Downing Street marked the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine yesterday, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met displaced Ukrainians, hosts from the Homes For Ukraine scheme and charity representatives.

Cafod, which is running a Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, said that the psychological damage of three years of war has been just as damaging as the physical destruction.

Yet, the people’s “resilience and hope for a better future remains strong”, said Josie O’Reilly, Cafod’s Ukraine programme manager. Around 3.6 million Ukrainians are internally displaced. As well as mental health support, Cafod partners repair homes to make them habitable again, provide cash assistance for food, water, medical supplies and fuel for heating. Cafod’s social media offered a prayer that “peace and justice will become a reality for Ukraine and for all the world”.

Cafod works in close collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee Service. More than six million Ukrainians now live in neighbouring European countries. A partner, Mariia Korolchuk from Jesuit Refugee Service Romania, spoke on Premier Radio about her work with Ukrainian refugee families in Romania. Children are helped to process their traumatic experiences and learn leadership skills through stories.

Catalin Albu, also of JRS Romania, wrote this week about a kindergarten where JRS supports over 90 refugee children from Ukraine. “Despite everything, I am amazed to see that after three years of war the teachers still have the strength to smile and they’re still able to offer these children a small haven of safety in an uncertain world,” he said. “Their workplace feels like a home, an island of hope for the Ukrainian community.”

Over the three years, Aid to the Church in Need has supported the Greek Catholic and Latin Catholic Churches in Ukraine, including all 17 Greek Catholic exarchates and all seven Latin Catholic dioceses with more than $26 million for 977 projects. This has helped internally displaced people and pastoral care for church workers. Four psycho-spiritual support centres are being funded and 58 vehicles provided to help distribute relief goods. 

Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradyuk of Odessa in southern Ukraine, which the war has impacted badly, told ACN that the hardest challenge for the Church is carrying out burials with many young men, women, and even children dying daily. “We will never stop thanking all those who make sure that we do not feel alone,” he said.

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