Client Story: Olena's Journey from Despair to Hope

On July 26, 2023, a young woman named Olena contacted our Life Center in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. She was pregnant with her third child and had learned about us through word of mouth from her neighbors.

Olena lived with her partner in a common-law marriage. Her two older children were also his. However, unfortunately, when she became pregnant for the third time, Olena’s partner got called to the front lines of the war in Ukraine.

Financial support from the government for her children was minimal, and she lacked close friends or relatives to offer support. Her only support was her father, who lived in a small village, and her god-mother, who resided in the neighboring building and occasionally helped her when she could.

During the two weeks after an initial phone consultation with our Life Center, our team could not reach her, as she deliberately turned off her phone, not wanting to talk to anyone.

Olena was in despair.

As it turns out, her boyfriend had called her earlier and told her that he was leaving her for another woman. He then burned all their children's belongings, including their cribs, and left.

She struggled to comprehend why this happened, as they seemingly had a good relationship. 

Despite all the challenges, the Life Center team was able to arrange a face-to-face meeting.

Olena was in desperate need of support since she could not fathom how to navigate her situation alone. She signed up for our Learn & Earn program and now receives weekly and sometimes daily support from the local Life Center team.

Currently, we have been able to provide her with food and vitamins, a crib and a stroller for her baby, and all the essentials for her two older children.

We want to stand by young women like Olena. We believe that together, we can navigate this challenging period in her life. We are overjoyed that she has chosen to keep her child, and our team remains committed to supporting her in this decision.