“They helped me believe in myself again”: Iryna’s story of rebuilding life after occupation

Photo: CF "Andreevy Family Foundation"

After surviving occupation, Iryna (name changed for safety reasons) and her children tried to start life from the beginning. Her experience reflects that of many women who were forced to leave their homes due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Checkpoints. Constant fear for her children. Anxiety caused by reports of violence against women and girls during inspections. Uncertainty became daily reality. She did not know whether there would be a roof over their heads tomorrow or how to provide for her family. Work, home, a familiar rhythm of life – everything remained on the other side of the front line.

After relocating to Lviv, Iryna allowed herself to ask for the first time in a long while: “What do I want for myself?” The answer was simple yet meaningful: she wanted to work with flowers, create beauty, feel life with her hands – through bouquets and floral arrangements.

Within a project of reparative support for women who experienced conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), Iryna received an opportunity for professional training. With the support of the Andreev Family Foundation, in cooperation with UN Women Ukraine and funded by the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), she completed two floristry courses – from flower care to bouquet design.

“I felt again that I can build a future. They gave me back my faith in myself. Now I know I can succeed. When I work with flowers, it feels like I am gathering myself back together,” says Iryna.

The project helped Iryna regain a sense of control over her life and take her first steps toward a new profession. This is not only a story about flowers. It is a story about dignity, recovery, and a woman’s right to choose her future again – for herself and her children.

Support for survivors is implemented within the project carried out by the Andreev Family Foundation, funded by The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) with technical support of UN Women Ukraine. The United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) mobilizes critical support for local and grassroots civil society organizations working on women, peace and security and humanitarian action. WPHF is a flexible and rapid financing mechanism supporting quality interventions designed to enhance the capacity of women to prevent conflict, respond to crises and emergencies, and seize key peacebuilding opportunities.

This publication is produced with funding from the United Nations Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), however, the views expressed and content included does not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.