Finding Hope in Lozova: A Ukrainian Mother’s Journey Through War and Healing

From Bombardment to Bravery: Alina’s Story Begins

Alina and her daughters are just a few of the many women and children affected by the war in Ukraine. On February 25th, 2022—just one day after the Russian invasion of Ukraine—Alina Kravchenko’s life changed forever. Her husband enlisted to defend their country and was sent to the front lines just a week later. Left behind in their occupied village with her two young daughters, Olexandra and Sofia, Alina faced daily bombardments.

“We couldn’t leave because of the direct occupation,” she recalls. For two long months, heavy artillery pounded their village. The shelling had no target—only destruction.

Eventually, surrounded by Russian troops and driven by a mother’s instinct to protect her children, Alina made the painful decision to flee. She packed what little she could into her car and followed a friend along unmarked backroads, steering clear of danger at every turn.

A Long Road to Safety for Ukraine’s Internally Displaced Families

After months of moving between relatives’ homes, Alina and her daughters finally arrived in Lozova. There, an old arts school had been transformed into a dormitory for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Though grateful to be safe, the early days were filled with fear.

“I lost a lot of weight from nervous exhaustion,” she says. “Sometimes I still have insomnia and tremors. I worry about the war, and about my husband.”

Her daughters carried their own scars. Olexandra and Sofia, both under the age of five, had stopped speaking after they fled. “The younger one was only 1.5 years old,” Alina shares. “She had just started using the potty when a bombing happened. Every time she saw it afterward, she would have wild hysterics.”

A New Beginning Through Community and Care

Shortly after arriving in Lozova, Alina discovered a women’s center for IDPs that provided art therapy sessions. She attended a session designed to offer psychological support for women and children affected by the war.

What began as one session soon became a source of strength. Today, Alina regularly visits the center for art therapy, workshops, and emotional healing. Most importantly, she has built deep friendships with other military wives, mothers, and sisters—women who understand her pain.

“We are all united now, I think, by the same disaster,” she says. “We share our pain and support one another. The psychologists at Corus help us cope and stay strong.”

Creating a Life of Connection and Courage

One year later, Alina and her daughters have found a rhythm in Lozova. She walks and plays with her girls, surrounded by neighbors who have become like extended family.

“We’re living here as one big family,” she says with a smile. “We help each other.”

Alina hopes to find online work to begin saving for a place of her own, but with schools and daycare centers still closed, it’s a challenge. “There’s nowhere to place my children, so I can’t work right now,” she explains.

A Mother’s Wish for Peace and Home

Though her future is uncertain, Alina has found strength in community—and comfort in knowing she’s no longer alone.

She dreams of peace. Of the day her husband comes home. Of a life where her daughters can grow up without fear.

And until that day comes, Alina continues to hold onto hope—one art therapy session, one shared story, one step at a time.

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Crystal Stafford is a documentary photographer working in areas affected by humanitarian emergencies. Learn more about the women and children affected by the war in Ukraine and beyond here.