"I went into the unknown to save my son and husband, to protect the most valuable thing we had — our family," says Svitlana about her displacement to Kyiv. 

She and her family are from the Kherson region. After the full-scale invasion, their village, Blahodtne, came under the control of the Russian Federation. They refused to cooperate, so the Russian military conducted constant searches of their apartment. For a year and seven months, they lived under occupation, constantly fearing for their lives. 

"We burned Ukrainian books and my son's sports award ribbons. We deleted messages with Ukrainian relatives to avoid harm or torture," Svitlana shares. 

The critical moment was the announcement of mobilization for everyone aged 17 to 65. Her son is 17, her husband is 49, and Svitlana, a former medical worker, was also eligible. So, the family decided to leave their hometown. After a challenging journey to a new city, they found refuge in a collective centre near Kyiv with the help of volunteers. 

The stress and relocation emotionally exhausted Svitlana. To recover, she and other residents create comfort and implement initiatives to improve living conditions in the centre. 

"I love order, beauty, and especially flowers. I had a small garden at home. Caring for it filled me," Svitlana says. 

Residents of the town received a grant for the improvement of activities interesting for displaced persons from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), financed by the Bureau of Humanitarian Aid of the United States Agency for International Development USAID. With these funds, they bought soil, rakes, wheelbarrows for gardening, a wooden gazebo, and a sports wall. 

The garden became a place where everyone planted flowers, tomatoes, salads, and potatoes, tending their crops as they did at home. 

After work, residents gather in the gazebo for coffee and conversation. These leisure activities reduce stress, bring people together, and help recreate a sense of home.