Our Odesa Life Center Turns Five!
On April 29th, 2023, our Odesa Life Center celebrated its fifth birthday! We gathered together as partners, friends, and clients to celebrate the last five years of work in the region. Neither the air raid sirens nor the kamikaze drone attack threats could get in the way of the celebration!
The Odesa Life Center opened on March 27th, 2018. In the past five years, thanks to the hard work of the Life Center, 102 children have been saved from being aborted, and 180 women received aid from different support programs in Odesa alone. During the war in Ukraine, the Life Center continued its work despite the continuous missile attacks and invasion attempts from occupying troops. Since February 24th 2022, the beginning of the war, the Odesa Life Center has saved 47 infants, distributed help and food packages to 116 women in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Khmelnytsky areas. During the period of armed aggression, the Life Center was able to help more than 100 forced fugitives from the Eastern parts of Ukraine, homes of whom were destroyed by the Russian army, and also helped 35 clients find safety in Europe.
The last five years, Iryna Rozlutska has been the director of the Odesa Life Center. Speaking at the celebration of the 5th birthday, she said:
“Throughout the years, we have always had volunteers, clients, and support from those who care. It is thanks to them that we have been able to help women and children in Odesa for all these years. We are all united by the same values: Sanctity of Life, Dignity of Women and Love. That is exactly why we’re here now and look towards the future with optimism.”
The national Ukraine team of Save a Life International were present at the celebration along with President Nadia Gordynsky, who joined through a video broadcast. Chief Operating Officer for Ukraine Alla Marivtsan shared a speech at the celebration and wished the team to grow and to constantly move forward.
“We don’t know what is waiting for us in the future. However, I wish for you to perform good deeds, save children and help mothers, while you have the opportunity to do so. The war showed us all that everything can change very quickly. I am thankful to the entire team for staying in the city, for meeting with clients, for sending aid packages throughout the area, and for helping every mother that reached out to you.”
