'My life is divided into before and after'
Three years after the invasion, Ukrainian humanitarian actors share stories on how they help themselves and their communities rebuild with dignity
Three years since the invasion of Ukraine, the war continues to exact a toll on the lives of civilians and, on a devastating level, critical civilian infrastructure. As the conflict continues, uncertainty about Ukrainians’ future deepens. As global powers hold meetings on potential peace processes, the inclusion of Ukrainians—particularly women and civil society—is the only way to achieve a sustainable and just peace. In this uncertainty, life for civilians is filled with navigating the impacts of the war.
Once an exporter of energy, Ukraine is now marked by rolling power cuts. Russia has targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in multiple waves of attacks since the escalation of the war, with particularly intense assaults occurring from October 2022 to April 2023, March to August 2024, and November 2024 to January 2025. This has plunged communities into darkness and cold, leaving millions without reliable power, heating, or water.
The toll on mental health is equally severe. Facing displacement, constant threats of missile attacks, isolation, financial difficulties, and harsh winters, civilians are struggling to cope with the multi-layered pressures. Symptoms of depression were reported to be prevalent, with the highest among the displaced (50%), followed by returnees (42%) and non-displaced (35%)..
Yet, even as war persists, communities across Ukraine continue to resist despair. Local humanitarian actors—many of whom with no prior experience in crisis response—have become the backbone of humanitarian relief. Even as they cope with the challenges of the war, they are working so that communities have access to basic and psychosocial services, legal support, and the dignity to rebuild their lives. They are ensuring that marginalised communities – women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, the Roma community – are empowered so they can claim their rights.
The following stories show how war has reshaped daily life through resilience and solidarity, featuring people who work tirelessly to protect their communities and to pave the way for recovery.
The stories are illustrated by Ukrainian artist Oksana Drachkovska to visually capture the depth of each personal experience and the quiet determination to rebuild in the third year of war.
‘I was frozen by trauma—now I help others stand again’
With the systemic attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure, winter can seem to stretch on for eternity. “With power cuts, there is no heating, no water in some parts because the water pumps are not running, and no way to contact loved ones because communications are also impacted by the power cuts,” said Olena Karamova, a psychologist based in Odesa.
This is taking a toll on people’s mental health. Children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those already traumatized by the war are having the hardest time. Olena, who works with Oxfam’s partner The Tenth of April to provide psychosocial support to affected communities, shared how her community is trying to support one another through the tough winter.
“The psychological pressure is immense. It’s difficult for mothers with babies, elderly people and people with disabilities living in higher floors of buildings,” Olena said. "People are trying hard to overcome the challenges brought by the war, but they will then get additional problems like the power cuts. How does one stand up again under these circumstances?"
Olena understands the struggle of rebuilding after trauma all too well. When the attack on Kherson began, she and her young daughter had to leave behind their home, job, and life. “I was a psychologist in a kindergarten and had a private practice,” she said. “But the war displaced me. For a time, I felt frozen, I felt mentally unprepared to get back to working again.”
Eventually, Olena began to rebuild her life in Odesa. Last year, she joined The Tenth of April to give psychosocial support through online and in-person sessions.
I wanted to help people who, like me, felt frozen by trauma. I want them to find confidence again.
Olena said she draws strength from the community she supports. “When the crisis hit, people came together to help each other. That spirit motivates me every day. We face immense challenges. But together, we can overcome them.”
The woman rebuilding her community's future, brick by brick
Anna Kulieva is a mother and a wife who was once a photographer, a kindergarten teacher, and worked in the service industry—until war came to her doorstep.
“At one point, it became unbearable,” Anna said. “After four days of aerial attacks, we had to leave our home for the safety of our child.”
Seeking shelter in another area, she witnessed firsthand the struggles of families displaced by the war and families living in shelled homes. Seeing the devastation, Anna knew she had to help. When the troops withdrew, Anna returned to Chernihiv with a mission to rebuild lives in her community. “There was no question that we had to do more to improve their lives, even just a little, to lift their spirits.”
Now, her focus is on supporting her community. What began as an act of kindness—providing food, clothing, and hygiene products—became a grassroots movement then grew into Anika Charitable Foundation, enabling them to do even more.
Working hard, Anika expanded its reach, repairing shelters and providing winterization support for nearly 2,000 people. Anika has also partnered with Oxfam to support impacted communities. “When I drive through Chernihiv, I notice all the time the windows we installed, the roofs we repaired,” Anna shared. “Each project is a reminder of why this work matters.”
Though the path ahead remains challenging, Anna’s dedication is strong, and she is hopeful. Her vision is clear—she hopes the foundation can shift its focus toward long-term recovery, helping people and communities thrive in the years to come.
“I long for calm—for our people and country to breathe again. I dream of a time when everyone can return home.”
'Nothing for Roma without Roma'
For generations, Roma communities in Ukraine had been pushed to the margins, lacking access to healthcare, education, employment, and decent payment. Roma women face even greater barriers, both within and outside their communities.
The invasion of Ukraine three years ago only widened these gaps and as the attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure intensified, Roma families endure harsh winters without heating or clean water, and displaced women face impossible choices, unable to access basic services or employment. Anzhelika Bielova, a leader and advocate, is working to change that.
In 2020, Anzhelika started the association of Roma women, Voice of Romni. "One of my goals is to raise Roma women leaders in Ukraine and change perceptions within our communities," she said.
Led by Roma women, Voice of Romni provides support through vital aid, educational opportunities, psychological counseling, and legal protection to Roma families. When the invasion of Ukraine began, they stepped up their efforts to ensure Roma communities are not left behind.
As winter and widespread blackouts deepened hardships for Roma families, Voice of Romni worked to provide hundreds of warm clothing items, firewood, and blankets across four regions in Ukraine—Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Zakarpattia, and Dnipropetrovsk. This effort, carried out in collaboration with Oxfam, aimed to help Roma children, young people, and families stay warm in freezing conditions.
“I know that Roma organizations in Ukraine, like many others, have gained invaluable experience and knowledge over the past years, particularly in humanitarian response and providing essential services to those affected by the war. I know this because, in nearly three years of war, the Voice of Romni team alone has supported around 106,000 people,” she said during the National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy held in Kyiv last January.
For Anzhelika, the struggle for Roma women’s rights demands action.
"The Roma community must not only be heard but actively involved in decision-making processes at all levels. That is why we must unite, take action, and uphold the principle: 'Nothing for Roma without Roma.'”
A war within a war: the struggle of the LGBTQ+ community in Ukraine
Since the invasion, Ukraine’s LGBTQIA+ community has faced displacement, discrimination, and disrupted services. Many have been forced to flee, often facing prejudice when seeking housing and jobs. Inclusive healthcare access has been severely affected, while infrastructure destruction has increased the risks for violence and exploitation.
Anna, an out 45-year-old lesbian from Odesa, has been with the Gay Alliance of Ukraine to be at the forefront of LGBTQIA+ support efforts.
"When the full-scale invasion began, it turned out that none of what we planned worked," she said, reflecting on the early days of the invasion, highlighting how advocacy efforts had to adapt overnight.
Taking into consideration the new challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, Anna and her team assisted with evacuation, providing guidance on safe relocation. Three years into the invasion, their work evolved, shifting from public advocacy to documenting abuses against the community.
A 2024 study indicated that Ukraine’s LGBTQIA+ community, especially in the east, faced heightened threats from Russia’s state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia, with reports of queer activists being tortured in Donbas and occupied Kherson, prompting many to flee. As the nature of these threats intensified, so did Anna’s work.
“We are now almost not involved in human rights street events [like human rights and Pride marches]. But we are working more on documenting the incidents reported to us by the community. And if earlier, all cases were related to hate crimes, now most of them are war crimes,” Anna said.
Russia’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure – which also cripples communication networks – have likewise added layers of vulnerabilities for the LGBTQIA+ community, disrupting critical support, inclusive medical care, and access to safe spaces.
“This is not just about electricity. It is also about heat, hospitals, communication networks, the Internet, business, and services. During winter, everyone realizes that even if you are 100 kilometers from the front line, you are not protected. You do not live a peaceful life,” said Anna.
Despite all the challenges, Anna remains committed to fight for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community in Ukraine.
“Like many, I believe in Ukraine’s victory. I am also aware of how support for vulnerable groups is becoming more complicated given that the society is becoming more militarised. It is important for me to improve the situation as much as possible right now. I hope that Ukraine will not only overcome this war, but will also become a truly safe country for all,” said Anna.
Reclaiming the ordinary in extraordinarily difficult times
As a teenager, Kateryna enjoyed the ordinary. Those ordinary days she spent playing volleyball, hanging out with her friends, or submitting her homework on time. But then on one ordinary day three years ago in February, Kateryna’s world changed.
“It was a quiet morning at my home in Sniruhivka on the 24th of February when I woke up overhearing my mom talking to my relatives in Mykolaiv. They said they heard explosions. That’s when I knew the war had begun,” Kateryna recalled.
Weeks later, on the 19th of March, the big tanks came. “They occupied this territory. We looked outside the window and saw soldiers with their guns pointed at civilian buildings. At this moment, we dove to the floor for safety.”
Kateryna said they lived in terror and uncertainty during the eight-month occupation. When it ended, they saw a chance to rebuild. “Many organizations came to help, and my teacher encouraged me to lead an initiative. I immediately said yes.”
Now 19 and studying law in Odesa, Kateryna balances school community work. She leads an initiative in Sniruhivka which they call the “social room,” supported by Oxfam’s partner The Tenth of April.
“It was important to have a place where people could receive psychological support,” Kateryna explained. “We organized sessions on mental health and first aid. It’s a place for people to communicate and heal.”
The social space also became a place where young people like her reclaim the “ordinary” in an extraordinarily difficult time. “We have bean bags and board games, even tools for creating TikTok videos. This has become a space for the young people to connect and express themselves,” she said.
Kateryna dreams of more than mere survival at a time of crisis. Kateryna wants her community to thrive. “We’ve faced so much, but together, we can build something better,” she said.
‘We need to stand together so everyone can rebuild’
“When the invasion began, my wife was seven months pregnant and fled Dnipro to become internally displaces persons (IDPs) in Uzhhorod. There, I saw a huge mass of people who had fled—Ukrainians, foreigners, everyone. That’s when I knew I had to help,” shared Serhii Zhuravel, who was then working in banking and finance.
Inspired by how people came together to support each, Serhii began volunteering. After returning to Dnipro, he joined Ukrainian NGO The Tenth of April to work as a specialist in community engagement, coordinating community-based initiatives and creating safe spaces for IDPs and host communities.
But just like many local NGOs, the work has not been easy. The systemic attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure added difficulties to them and the communities they serve. The unreliable electricity is leaving people without heating, reliable communication, or even safety.
“In Dnipro, there are times when we only get three to four hours of electricity a day and it’s taking a toll on people, emotionally and mentally,” Serhii said. “For the elderly or people with disabilities, it’s hard to go out to shop for food or water, especially if they live on higher floors. And if they’re already outside when the power gets cut off, it’s even harder for them to get back home, especially in the cold. Meanwhile, children are missing out on school because their online education gets disrupted by the power cuts.”
Serhii and his team face these challenges head on to support communities. “It’s about helping people feel safe and eventually live normal lives—getting jobs, becoming part of the community again,” he said.
“We’ve also provided equipment like Ecoflows (a portable power station) to community hubs but it’s not always enough. The demand for such equipment is high, and supplies are scarce,” he added.
Serhii remains motivated with his work regardless of the challenges, because of his faith in the resilience of the people he supports. “We must stand together and keep working,” he said. “We need to be in solidarity so everyone can rebuild their life with dignity.”
‘Even in the hardest times, I choose to keep going’
Olga Cherkas always loved animals. Her family has three rescued dogs and five cats. This compassion for animals will soon spark an idea that will change her life. Originally from Crimea, Olga and her family were forced to flee in 2014 when war broke out. Settling in the Kyiv region, she found herself starting over in Lyutizh village where she faced more challenges after the 2022 invasion.
Olga once worked in a private sector, then in early 2024 she lost her job while she was pregnant. Instead of losing hope, Olga took this as an opportunity to pursue her passion. Her idea was simple: to make healthy, handmade treats for cats and dogs.
Working out of her kitchen with a small dehydrator, Olga started experimenting with recipes and packaging. “It was a small start, but it was a start,” she said.
Nine months later, Olga already has loyal customers, her treats are available in coffee shops, and she donates packages to animal shelters. For her, helping animals remains at the heart of her business.
To ensure that Olga gets to pursue her passion and at the same time help animals, Olga secured a business grant from the Women’s Consortium of Ukraine (WCU), an Oxfam partner.
But just like others who are starting anew in Ukraine, she pushes through different challenges. Amidst the constant missile warnings and power cuts, Olga balances her business with the demands of raising a newborn.
“Ultimately, my dream for this business is to secure a stable livelihood for our family,” Olga said. “After the war, my husband dreams of buying a van for deliveries and pickups. Together, we could build a truly family-run business.”
Olga’s journey is far from over, but she is determined. “Even when demand is slow, I remind myself that success doesn’t happen overnight. I’ve come this far, and I’m committed to seeing it through,” she said.
Learn more about Oxfam’s work in Ukraine
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