Ksenia’s journey through loss, separation, fleeing Ukraine and seeking refuge in Moldova

The story of Ksenia, an 11-year-old Ukrainian girl with four siblings and a mother with impairment, is tangled with tragic events occurring in rapid succession, beginning with the sudden death of her father. She witnessed the destruction of her hometown and fled to start a new life in Moldova.

With the support of World Food Programme, Moldovan households that are hosting Ukrainian refugees benefit from emergency cash assistance, which helps them cope with the rising prices of utilities and living costs in Moldova.

Ksenia is also hosted by a Moldovan, who benefits from the WFP-funded project, with a safe place to live.

“A project like this encourages community support for Ukrainian refugees, ensuring that their fundamental needs are satisfied,” shared Irina Bilic, World Vision’s team leader for the WFP-funded project.

She added, “This approach empowers local hosts, promotes the integration of Ukrainians, and responds to urgent financial needs, resulting in a more inclusive and responsive society.”

She used to reside with her mother in Mykolaiv Oblast, as her father passed away the year prior.

The girl was trying to heal and to move on, occupied with schoolwork, looking forward to seeing her two older brothers, especially on her birthday, which was the only time the entire family was together again.

However, this routine ended on February 24, 2022. She recalls how she spent the night with her mother caring for her niece, who was born with Shy-Drager syndrome a few months before. The syndrome is a rare disease affecting the neurological system which regulates natural functions such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion. 

The newborn baby girl required two surgeries, and precisely at that time her condition worsened. 

“I was there with my granddaughter. We couldn’t move elsewhere. But since they bombed the hospital, we were forced to leave. Many people died there,” shared Vita, Ksenia's mother.

They had to go to Italy from Kyiv to do another medical procedure on the little baby girl. As they flew from Mykolaiv, violence began, the child's condition deteriorated, and the five-month-old baby lost her life on the way to Kyiv.

“We couldn’t get her out of there. We were accompanied by military personnel who didn’t give us clearance to leave. It was too dangerous,” continued Vita.

A project like this encourages community support for Ukrainian refugees, ensuring that their fundamental needs are satisfied. This approach empowers local hosts, promotes the integration of Ukrainians, and responds to urgent financial needs, resulting in a more inclusive and responsive society.

Meanwhile, Xenia remained in Mykolaiv with her aunt, spending two months in her grandmother’s house because traveling was too risky due to the attacks and the city’s blockade.

“The entire zone where we stayed was under siege, full of military. There were a lot of fights, drones, and everywhere just ruins and more bombs,” Ksenia explained, in an unexpectedly straightforward and fearless way.

“I was forced to live in the basement all that time,” she added.

“At least it wasn't monotonous because I was with my cousin and a friend of mine, and we did a lot of things together. There were many twists and turns, but we survived,” concluded Ksenia.

“If you consider the violence, the psychological trauma, the fact that this child lived in a war zone with a lack of safety, she is a very strong girl,” shared Bilic.  

In truth, Ksenia’s wish is to see her siblings, who are still in Ukraine. She dreams of peace and the day she will be able to return to her country and celebrate her birthday with her family like she used to. She wants her life back to how it was before.

Meanwhile, she discovered a new interest that her mother, Vita, had passed on. Sewing and making handmade gifts like scarves and hats helps her unwind and forget for a moment all the hardships. She makes scarves and beanies hoping that one day she will be able to give them to her siblings.

To date, World Vision has reached more than 254,700 people in Moldova, including Ukrainian refugees and hosting communities with basic needs assistance, education, mental health, protection, livelihoods, and cash programs.

World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response has supported with cash over 357,000 individuals in Ukraine, Romania, Georgia and Moldova.

Story and photos by Communications Officer Dan Munteanu