In early April, representatives of the Foundation and the Assembly traveled to Volyn Oblast and visited large families in Turiysk district as part of the project “Foundation Visiting the Heroic Mother”. During the visit, the team talked to four Heroic Mothers who have been receiving support from the Children’s Help Center in Turiysk for more than a year.
The Center provides children from low-income and large families, orphans, IDPs, children from military families with the necessary things: clothes (children’s and teenage), shoes, stationery (pens, pencils and sharpeners, drawing albums, markers, markers, paints, coloring books, plasticine, notebooks, spelling books, books, fairy tales, encyclopedias, etc.) and toys, which is a significant help for families with modest income.
During the meetings, we were able to learn about the difficulties faced by mothers with many children in modern conditions.
Tetiana Bryla
Tetiana lives in the village of Obenizhi. She is a Heroic Mother of eight children aged 11 to 24.
Her children are her pride.
Her eldest son has been defending Ukraine in the Armed Forces for three years and is currently undergoing treatment after his second injury.
Her eldest daughter Liza dreams of becoming a tattoo artist.
The youngest son, Nazar, at the age of 11, is already a real helper around the house: he takes care of the animals, helps in the field and even planted a forest. He loves sports, picking mushrooms and fishing. His dream is to have his own boat, but for now he is making a homemade craft out of an old refrigerator, cans and boards.
All the children help their mother with the household chores, keeping poultry, pigs, piglets and two horses, named Kvitka and Avatar.
They travel to school, the town and the Center in Turiysk by horse-drawn cart, which is their mode of transportation and the local taxi.
Like many residents of remote villages, the Bryla family faces bureaucratic problems related to land and road access near their home.
Ruslana Semenyuk
Also living in Obenizhi is Ruslana, a Heroic Mother of seven children aged 5 months to 18 years. She has dedicated her life to raising her children.
Despite the difficulties, there is an atmosphere of mutual understanding and support in their home. The older children help their parents take care of the younger ones, keep the house and study hard.
Ruslana’s family also faces bureaucratic red tape in the paperwork, which makes it difficult to receive social assistance.
Alla Bragniuk
Alla, the Heroic Mother of nine children aged 1 to 18, lives in the village of Kustychi.
Alla was born, raised and lives on her parents’ land. They used to have a large farm with horses and cows, but over time, due to lack of space for grazing, they had to give up cattle. Currently, the family lives on the outskirts of the village and keeps poultry. However, diligence and perseverance help the family to stay afloat.
A few years ago, Yurii appeared in Alla’s life – a reliable helper and support. He is a master of all trades: carpenter, technician, welder, and farmer. With his help, housekeeping has become much easier.
The family has a cherished dream – to build their own house. They have a plot of land, a permit, a plan, but in three years they have not progressed beyond the foundation of the building. Alla bought the materials for the foundation of the house on her own. As a mother of many children, Alla is entitled to land and construction privileges, but she has problems with the paperwork.
Another dream is to have a small handyman’s workroom, a sawmill, materials and tools that would allow them to repair the old house and build a new one.
And the eldest daughter, who is studying to become a sales assistant, has a dream of her own – to open her own beauty salon and shop. She strives for self-realization and independence, and we believe that with the support of her family and hard work, her dream will come true.
Vita Khomchyk
Vita is a Heroic Mother who is raising seven children aged 3 to 16. The family currently lives in Turiysk.
Vita grew up as an orphan, having experienced the bitterness of losing her parents in childhood. Her home was a boarding school in Kovel, where she received her education and dreamed of a happy future. After graduating from high school, Vita returned to her parents’ house in Lutsk, but the reality was cruel. The house was in disrepair and burdened with utility bills. Adult life met her with difficult challenges, and as local officials refused to help, Vita took it upon herself to rebuild the family home.
Over time, life began to improve. However, fate prepared another test that seemed to break her.
On the morning of April 24, 2020, a fire broke out due to a short circuit in the external power grid. The fire spread to the roof and walls of the house, engulfing the entire structure from the inside. Vita and her children miraculously managed to escape by hiding in a small shed in the yard, but the house and all their belongings were lost.
According to official documents, the fire occurred outside the house, but an examination costing 30,000 hryvnias was required to receive compensation. At the time, all the money was spent on the family finding temporary shelter.
Desperate to find help, Vita turned to the local authorities and met with the mayor of Lutsk. But she faced indifference from officials and a blank wall of bureaucracy. But Vita did not give up. She looked for opportunities, knocked on every door, hoping for help.
For a while, the family rented an apartment in Lutsk, and then they found a house in Turiysk that was for sale. It was a chance that Vita and her husband Ihor grabbed with both hands. They asked the owners to hold off on the purchase price and began to equip the house, creating a cozy place for their children.
Today, Vita and Igor are trying to raise US$23,000 to buy the house. Ihor works full-time and comes home only a few days a week to help his wife and children. For them, as for any parents, the most important thing is to provide their children with a safe and comfortable environment for development.
Their older children are the real pride of the family. They actively help their mother with the housework and care for the younger ones, and don’t waste time on aimlessly sitting in front of smartphones and computers. All children develop creatively: younger girls dance and draw, boys play sports, and older daughters learn foreign languages (English, Polish and Korean) on their own.
They are not waiting for a miracle, but are working hard to make their dreams come true. They just need a little help to finally secure their right to own a home and a peaceful and happy future for their children.
Today, Vita and Igor need our help. Their dream of owning their own home is not just a roof over their heads. It is stability, security and confidence in the future for their children. It is an opportunity to create a real home for them, where love, warmth and comfort will reign.
Vita’s story is a call to action. It is a reminder that behind every statistic about orphans there is a real person with dreams and hopes. Perhaps your help will be decisive in this fight for the right to a decent life.
The stories of these families are an example of unbreakable will, maternal love and faith in a better future, despite all the difficulties of life. These stories show that a mother’s love is the strongest force in the world.
Our team of the Children’s Help Center is sincerely happy to be able to help these families with at least the necessary things for their children. We were touched to see the smiles on the kids’ faces and felt that in this difficult time the family does not lose hope and faith in all the good things in life.
These strong and hardworking women, their love for children and faith in a better future are a powerful incentive to continue their charitable work. The Foundation calls on all those who care to join in supporting these families, because every help, even the smallest, can change their lives for the better.
«We see that these families have great potential,» said the Assembly representative, «They just need a little support to realize their dreams and provide a better future for their children. Each of these families is an example of indomitable spirit and willpower. They teach us to appreciate the simple things: family ties, support for each other and the ability to find joy in everyday life.
These meetings were not only an opportunity for us to provide assistance, but also to gain invaluable experience. We realized that support and attention to such families is extremely important. Each story we heard was an inspiration for us to continue our work and look for new ways to help.»
Our team plans to continue the project «The Foundation Visiting the Heroic Mother». We want to attract new partners and volunteers who are ready to join our cause, because together we can do more.
The mothers with many children we talked to are real Heroes who overcome difficulties every day, raising children and supporting their families.
We are grateful to everyone who joins our project, because together we can change the lives of many children and their families for the better.
We believe that every little help can be a big step towards change.
Each of us can become a part of these stories and help these families realize their dreams. A small donation, a sincere word of support, spreading the word about their situation – all this can be a decisive step towards their happiness.