Broken windows, a partially destroyed roof, a broken front door — this is what Vera Andriivna’s house looked like since February of this year. Then, a shell exploded near the woman’s yard in Cherkaska Lozova, Kharkiv Oblast. Fortunately, she and her family were not physically injured. However, the house needed considerable funds to repair, which the pensioner did not have.
The housing was restored thanks to the "Strong Community" project: a new roof was installed; windows were replaced; and an entrance door was installed.
For an elderly woman, this is a great help, because her house was damaged for the second time. And the family no longer had the resources to repair the house. Vera Andreyevna lived in this village all her life. She raised two nephews. She did not leave even when neighboring settlements were occupied. Therefore, she tried to repair the damage and stay at home.
“My niece Natalia worked in the intensive care unit of the Kharkiv hospital. She died two years ago. Now I take care of her daughter Nastya. I have two goats, and my granddaughter has two horses, so how can I leave them?” explains Vira Andriivna.
Nephew Andriy is disabled and requires constant care. In addition, in the spring of 2022, he was injured when a rocket first exploded near their yard.
"Andriy was hospitalized, I had a concussion. One wall in the house completely collapsed. The windows were also broken, the roof was damaged. I hired people to repair all of this. The windows were then purchased from the community budget," the woman says.
From now on, Vera Andreyevna's home is cozy again, it has become a symbol of stability and care.
The project «Sylna Hromada» is being implemented by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation within the framework of support for Ukraine from Switzerland, funded by Swiss Solidarity.
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