“We’re Waiting for the War to End so We Can Go Back to School”: Everyday Life of a Large Family from the Donetsk Region
For the past nine years, Serhii, his wife, and their four children have been living amid war. The family lives on the outskirts of Kramatorsk—the administrative center of the Donetsk region. As Serhii and his eldest son say, they’ve gotten used to the sounds of explosions since 2014. But the younger children still flinch when they hear the thunder of constant shelling that the Russian army keeps firing at Kramatorsk and nearby towns.
When Russia’s full-scale invasion began, the family decided not to leave their home. At that time, safety could only be found abroad—but only the mother and children could cross the border. United as they were, they couldn’t imagine being separated from their father. So they made their choice: to stay in Ukraine, but to stay together.
“We had to walk all the way to the volunteer center to get medicine and diapers. It was hard,” Serhii recalls with tears in his eyes.
Thanks to the help of caring people, Serhii’s large family now has everything they need to live. Their home is filled with warmth and a sense of togetherness. The children miss only one thing—their school.
“I’m waiting for the war to end so I can go back to school. I want to run around with the boys again,” says their energetic younger daughter, Daryna.
About 33,000 school-age children in Donetsk region still can’t attend school in person and are forced to study online.
The Voices of Children Foundation wishes all children to return to their classrooms as soon as possible.
Together, we can help hundreds of families get everything they need for temporary remote learning.