🌸 Natalia’s story – from fear to hope 🌸
This story was told to us by Cristina, the social worker of the Artemida Public Association within the Safe Space for Women and Girls mobile team. Women and Girls Safe Space UNFPA Moldova
Natalia, a 32-year-old mother 👩👧👧, fled Ukraine 🇺🇦 with her two children. The bombings 💣, the separation from her husband who remained at the front and the long road 🚶♀ brought her a lot of fear and anxiety. Although she had arrived safely, she could not sleep at night 🌙, her thoughts were always on her parents, the abandoned house 🏠 and the husband she had not heard from for a long time. The only consolation was the fact that she managed to save her children.
At customs, with her suitcases next to her 🎒 and her soul full of fear, she called the only number she had from Moldova. Liuba, an old colleague from a children’s camp, answered. Without thinking, Liuba extended her hand 🤝. Natalia was ready to go anywhere, just to protect her children from the war.
Shortly after arriving, Natalia attended an information session 📖 and accepted individual support. She received psychological 💬 and social support, legal consultations, access to financial aid and medical services for girls. During the discussions, Natalia was finally able to express the pain and fear she had been hiding for the sake of her children.
She learned techniques for calming and managing emotions 🌱, and support groups with other refugee mothers made her feel less alone. With the desire to build a future here, Natalia took Romanian language and hairdressing courses 💇♀. Today, she works in a salon ✂️ and looks forward with more confidence.
The children see her calmer, and Natalia says that social support and psychological help were essential for her to find her balance and the strength to move on.
Her biggest dream was to be together with her husband again ❤️. After he suffered a concussion and arrived in Moldova, the family reunited and now lives in Chisinau 🏙️, where they continue their life together.
💙💛 Natalia’s story is about pain, but also about hope, solidarity and the strength to start over.
🟠We are convinced that only together, through joint, consolidated efforts, can we face the challenges.
