Since the outbreak of the war, Mira Milavec, a focolarina has been working with Caritas Spes in Ukraine, in collaboration with the Focolare Emergency Fund, to co-ordinate the distribution of humanitarian aid; we recently interviewed her, one year on from the start of the war.

Mira, can you give us an overview of this first year, how you are coping and what is the current situation?

One year feels like an eternity. On the one hand the Ukraine people don’t lose hope; “we live for for victory; it will come soon” is the phrase you often hear.  On the other hand, I see people who are exhausted by this situation.

I am based in the west, where there is not as much danger as in the east; we don’t hear sirens, but people’s loved ones are at the Front.  When I talk to them, I realise what a strain this is psychologically. Your husband is out there somewhere and you can’t imagine life without him.  We must think of the consequences and how to support these people who have suffered so much.

How do you feel about the war, one year later?

I feel great sadness because I do not see any sign of hope that we are closer to peace and the end of the war.   We feel constantly in danger, that nowhere is safe.  Yet we have to try to live as normal a life as possible.  Prayer is what truly gives us hope. Feeling God’s presence close to us.  I think that those who have faith are managing to keep going.  Before now, I used to hear about war, and do whatever we could to help, but I had no idea what it is like to experience it first hand, as I do now.

Are refugees from within Ukraine still arriving at your centres?

Yes, they are, though not in such numbers as before.  However, two months ago the city of Herson was evacuated and many arrived at our Centre, also the Bachmut region.

How has the help given by Caritas Spes changed?  What type of support is needed now?

According to international guidelines, intially we provided emergency supplies.  Now we are concentrating on restoring people’s dignity: we provide them with a monthly sum of money to buy what they need most; and we offer social and psychological support.  It’s completely different to support given in normal conditions.  This is war and specialists are needed.  And it is still cold, even in March.

Therefore, we help many people who are without electricity, especially in Charkiv, Cherson, Nikolaev.  We provide wood stoves, generators, batteries, for their most basic needs; many are living in bombed houses, which let in the cold.

How are children being supported through all this?

Caritas Spes has orphanages for children.  Some had to be evacuated at the start of the war but now have returned.  They have re-opened and fortunately are not in any of the danger zones. Then there are also families with children who have remained in air raid shelters because they do not want to leave the city.  Sometimes up to thirty people live in a cellar in very difficult conditions.  We give them humanitarian aid and psychological support, and the children come to our centres on Saturdays to join in workshops. Thanks to generous donations, we have been able to buy them a tablet so they can attend school on-line because there is no access to school in person.

With what spirit do you manage to carry on working in this situation?

Our collaborators come from various cities in Ukraine; they do not have time to rest. Despite bombardments, they work night and day.  You can feel the exhaustion; our centres our always crowded but many are willing to help and share in the suffering of those who have lost their loved ones, their homes, everything.  We try to embrace each one’s suffering and listen to their story; being able to talk about it, is what keeps us going.

Where do you find strength and hope?

Let me share an experience of a neighbour whose husband is fighting.  They love each other so dearly that I cannot bear to think what will happen if he is killed.  All I see is suffering and pain.  We spend time listening to her, only a few words are needed, but I often wonder, what gives her strength?  I do not know what I would do in her place.  What I see, is that she is always giving – not only for the sake of her husband, but for all those around her.  Whereas before, travelling meant a lot to her, now the only thing that matters is to stay close to him.  I never realised how much the Ukrainian people are ready to help one another. They all have a loved one at the Front, but they reach out to those most in need.   The never lose hope in victory, this gives them strength and also prayer, union with God.

What can we do from our side?

Above all, I want to say thank you, because without everything that has been collected and sent, we would not be able to help these people. And then, prayer.  Without this support, people would not have the strength to resist and keep going.  Thirdly, I have witnessed so much violence and hatred during this year.  Let us teach the younger generations how to live in peace, to banish hatred and violence.  We can start here in Ukraine, but outside too, so that these wars no longer happen.

Support for the work of Caritas Spes

Since the beginning of the war, thanks to the funds raised by the Focolare Movement Emergency organisations, AFN (Azione Famiglie Nuove – New Families Action) and AMU (Azione per un Mondo Unito Onlus – Action for a United World NGO), it has been possible to send aid via the work of Caritas Spes, who have distributed food and essential supplies to those fleeing the conflict.  In addition, it has been possible to directly support the Caritas Spes Centres for refugees in Yablonista, Carpazi, in the Ivano-Frankivst and Bryukhovychi districts, near Leopoli. At the same time, the Diocese of Kamianets-Podilskyj began the renovation of a child-friendly multipurpose centre to provide day care, with educational and psychological support for children and mothers, through various recreational activities. In the first months of 2023, a new phase began to provide health care and psychological support in the Kiev region to residents and displaced persons from neighbouring regions, with guaranteed medical visits and examinations in three outpatient clinics as well as a mobile clinic that will travel through the region.  Help with First Aid, delivered during the initial phase of the programme, is continuing.

Welcoming Ukranians in Italy

In addition to the reception program for Ukrainian refugee mothers and their children in Cosenza (SF 11 2022), thanks to the funds raised by the Emergency organisations of the Focolare Movement, the Intra Cooperative and “Guido D’Orso” High School have launched an important cultural-linguistic mediation initiative, for children fleeing the devastating war, that has been raging in their land for over a year. The initiative is progressing, with excellent results and aims to gradually ensure all children receive the same level of learning, facilitating their integration into school and society.

Since the start of the project, it has been possible to see the children grow and mature, and improve their understanding of the Italian language, allowing them to increase their self-esteem, as well as adapt, integrate and develop their ability to relate to other children.

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