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European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war

“We’ve lost everything. But one day, we will return home.” These words are most often heard in conversations with senior Ukrainians who have been suffering from the Russian invasion since February 2022.

Senior Ukrainians’ life stories and journeys may vary, yet they are all bound by a stark new reality. Instead of enjoying time with grandchildren and nurturing their gardens, older people are forced to hide from missiles attacks or search for shelter as their homes have burned down.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has pushed millions of the country's residents to the brink of survival. While this war has already demonstrated that for missiles heading for your city don’t make a distinction about your age or how you make a living, older people are amongst the most vulnerable.

As HelpAge International reports, a staggering 25% of the population in Ukraine is aged 60 and above, and the urgent need for humanitarian aid and support is undeniable.

Older people in Ukraine often face mobility challenges and have limited resources. Therefore, they require immediate assistance such as access to shelter, medical care, and other necessities.

This is why since the hostilities began in 2014, the EU and its humanitarian partners have been working tirelessly to provide emergency aid to the most affected areas in Ukraine.

These programmes include distributing food, clean water, and medical supplies and setting up temporary shelters to provide a safe haven for those displaced by the war.

In partnership with the Italian NGO Intersos, the EU supports Ukrainians from war-affected regions with protection programming which ranges from providing essential household items to legal consultations and support.

Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 01
Nestor, 65, and Olena, 62, met at the disco in 1975. “I brazenly dragged her to dance, and that's how we met. A year later, we got married,” Nestor recalls with a smile.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 02
Together, they raised 5 children and built a house of their dreams in Sloviansk, Donetsk oblast. But after Russia’s invasion in February 2022, they had to flee to protect the grandnephews they are taking care of today.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 03
The family has been accommodated in a tiny former store in Pidhorodne and is hoping to return to their beloved home with a garden and yard soon. Meanwhile, Intersos and the EU have provided them with household items for in their temporary shelter.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 04
Russia’s invasion has also shattered Serafyma’s quiet and peaceful life. A year ago, she had to leave her home in Kamianka and move to a collective centre in Kharkiv that is supported by the EU and its partners, such as Intersos.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 05
‘Our village was so beautiful. But the Russians burned it. We were there when the houses were on fire. It was so scary,’ recalls Serafyma, 72. Today, she knits socks for Ukrainian soldiers and dreams of returning to her home by the river.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 06
Liudmyla's life is now also filled with dreams about her home. Last autumn, the 76-year-old woman had to leave her house in Kamianka and move to the same collective centre in Kharkiv.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 07
Unable to walk on her own, she spends her days looking out the window and, with tears in her eyes, speaks about animals she was forced to leave at home. “I would like to see my house... At least with one eye. But they are still shooting there.”
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 08
Olena, 63, lives in a room next to Liudmyla’s. Last spring, when an artillery hit her house, she became wounded in her head. While evacuating, she could not take her cat, who ran from the shelling. Today, she recovers and hopes to meet her pet again.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 09
A former TV presenter and theatre actor, Oleksandr, 69, left his hometown, Melitopol, after the Russians took it under control. Today, he resides in the collective centre in Zaporizhzhia where he receives support from the EU and Intersos.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 10
In 2016, he lost sight in his left eye. But neither this nor losing his home in war has stopped him from staying positive. Every day, he enjoys reading books and swimming in the Dnipro River when possible.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 11
Liudmyla, 63 (on the right), from the frontline city Orikhiv, now lives in the same dormitory as Oleksandr. Her long-time friend Liubov, 75 (on the left), often accompanies her. They both had to leave their hometown in April 2022 due to heavy shelling.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 12
Despite having been unable to take any belongings with them during the evacuation, losing friends, and going through a difficult road to safety, they have become each other’s primary support. “We are like sisters,” they say.
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
Empowering the vulnerable: EU supports senior Ukrainians affected by war 13
Women continue to comfort each other and hope to return to their homes one day. ‘All our lives, we worked, saved money, and now we have lost everything. We are grateful to everyone who helps. Otherwise, we would not survive.’
© Intersos, 2023 (photographer: Alessio Romenzi). All rights reserved. Licensed to the European Union under conditions.
  • Photo of Ivanna Bedei

    Story by Ivanna Bedei, Information and Communication Assistant in Kyiv, EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. 

    @ECHO_Europe

    Publication date: 01/10/2023