Halyna, a sweet grandmother and music teacher, lived in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine with her daughter’s family, including her young granddaughter. At the onset of the war, frantic neighbors woke them up one day as shelling started. They ran for safety in the bitter cold, finding shelter at a local school before being forced to escape their hometown by the fighting. The family witnessed extreme violence, were left traumatized, and even experienced temporary deafness from the bombings.  

Halyna’s family eventually left Ukraine for Poland, where they continued waiting out the war. But Halyna stayed behind—like many elders, she couldn’t leave the country due to economic and health issues. Instead, she boarded a train to Lviv, where she didn’t know anyone, to find a respite from the ongoing bombardment.  

There, she met like-minded, retired people in a collective center who were kind. But living there was incredibly uncomfortable and unsettling. It was very loud, and at times, she had to sleep on the floor or in the company of those who were unwell. With the war waging on for two years, this situation became untenable for Halyna. 

Eventually, she made contact with CORE, which, in partnership with the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), was able to place her in a comfortable and private one-bedroom apartment. 

Halyna generously invited CORE’s team over for tea as a token of appreciation. As a trained music teacher, Halyna had spent her life sharing her love for the bandura, a traditional instrument she grew up playing. With support from CORE Ukraine’s staffer, Iryna, Halyna found local children to give music lessons to make some money. While waiting for the day she can reunite with her family, she spends time sharing her love of music and spreading joy. As we sipped tea, Halyna treated us to a few beautiful songs she used to play for her granddaughter and shared heartfelt memories of home. 

Halyna said, “I am so grateful to Iryna and to CORE for bringing me this apartment. For helping me.”