“I felt that I needed to move forward”: the story of an internally displaced teacher who found the strength to rebuild her life in Sumy

Photo: NGO "Girls"

When 64-year-old Liudmyla Phenda recalls the village of Basivka in Ukraine’s Sumy region, close to the Russian border, her voice grows more emotional.

She lived there for over 40 years, teaching physics and mathematics to children. But with the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the village came under threat. Basivka was regularly shelled, yet Liudmyla and many of her fellow villagers stayed.

“We hoped and believed that we would withstand, that we would hold on. At first we somehow adapted,” she recalls.

For some time, the school continued to work as usual. But after a strike on the school building, hitting the very classroom where Liudmyla taught, the education process was moved online.

Losing her home and moving to Sumy

“We, and my fellow villagers, practically lost everything. As my neighbour who also moved to Sumy said, you can immediately see those who have been evacuated. They walk with empty eyes. Because people left for nowhere and with nothing: no housing, no job,” Liudmyla says.

She remained in Basivka for two and a half years after the invasion began, but in autumn 2024 she was forced to evacuate to Sumy. There, Liudmyla moved in with her daughter and continued teaching remotely at the school. This helped her hold on.

The turning point came in 2025, when she realised that there would be no return home.

“When I realised that there was no way back to my village, that’s when it knocked me out of my stride,” she says.

“I wanted to be with people, not sit alone”

Later, friends told Liudmyla that there were support initiatives for internally displaced women in Sumy. This is how she learned about the NGO “Girls”. At first, she came to the workshops that the organisation held for women.

“I wanted to be with people, to be in some kind of group, and not sit alone,” she recalls.

Later she found out about the art therapy sessions “Dawn Bird”, implemented by NGO “Girls” in partnership with UN Women Ukraine. The sessions were aimed at supporting women affected by the war in Ukraine. Through the image of a bird, participants worked with their feelings and turned to symbols of freedom, hope and strength.

“The psychological sessions were very good. You could feel that Ms. Viktoriia was not just running the sessions, but was really helping us at the energy level,” Liudmyla says.

Each meeting had both a theoretical and a practical part. Women reflected on emotions and created their own art pieces. Liudmyla notes that there was a safe atmosphere in the group: no one interrupted or criticised others. She attended at least six such meetings.

Alongside Liudmyla’s story, a total of 510 women and girls in Sumy region received psychosocial support through group therapy sessions under the same project. The activities combined different approaches to reduce stress and strengthen emotional resilience, including art therapy and creative workshops that helped participants access their inner resources and regain a sense of stability.

“I felt that I needed to let go”

One of the most important moments for her was the final session, which focused on accepting losses and moving forward.

“I was inspired by what the psychologist Viktoriia said. That there is no way back, that we need to keep living, that the past has remained in the past,” says Liudmyla.

After the course, the pain of loss eased somewhat and a sense of support appeared.

“I felt that I needed to let go, that I needed to move forward, that I am not alone in this world. And that there are good people I can turn to,” she says.

When the art therapy sessions were coming to an end, Liudmyla learned about a vacancy in one of the schools in Sumy. She accepted the offer.

“So from 1 September 2025 I have a new job and a new team. The women here are a bit younger than me, there is a lot that is new. But they help me, give advice, everyone here is friendly,” Liudmyla says.

Financial support that restored a sense of stability

As part of the project implemented by NGO “Girls” and UN Women Ukraine, Liudmyla also received financial assistance. Staff of the NGO helped her with the paperwork, and within a few weeks she received the money.

“I was able to buy clothes, shoes, some food and hygiene products. The things that are necessary for everyday life. Even a small amount of support is important. And not only materially, but also morally. Because it shows that we are not alone,” she says.

In total, 100 women and girls received financial assistance within this project. This support helped reduce financial stress and strengthened women’s ability to meet their most urgent needs.

A dream of victory

Sumy is located just 20 kilometres from the border with Russia. Despite the danger, she does not plan to move further into the country.

“If you go somewhere further, everything will be new and unfamiliar. I thought, why should I be alone there? Here it’s easier together. Back to back,” she says.

When talking about her dreams, Liudmyla keeps it simple:

“We all have one dream. May God help us to hold on and live to see victory. And my personal dream is to go on a trip. I have never been to the Carpathians.”

To women who have also gone through displacement and loss, Liudmyla shares a simple but important message:

“Never lose faith that everything will be alright. And you know, if one door closes, another opens. Do not lose hope.”

The project “Enhancing the safety, security, and mental health of women and girls, as well as advancing their human rights” is implemented by UN Women Ukraine in partnership with NGO Girls. It is financially supported by the Governments of Sweden, Denmark, and Latvia, the UN Women National Committees.  

The project also receives support from UN Women through the Emergency Funding Mechanism (EFM) – a flexible, replenishable, revolving fund that allows resources to be rapidly allocated in the immediate aftermath of sudden-onset crises or peaks in protracted crises.  

The views and opinions expressed in the video are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of UN Women, the supporting organizations, or the donors involved in the project.