They say that there are no irreplaceable people. But for parents who have lost their child, these words will never be true.
A terrible phrase has returned to Ukrainian reality - "parents of a deceased serviceman". These are mothers and fathers for whom life is divided into "Before" and "After", and a new day often becomes a test that requires strength that, it seems, is no longer there.
Our activist turned to the Organization of Veterans of Ukraine of the Industrial District of Kharkiv. She told about her friend - the mother of a deceased serviceman, who needed the support of a psychologist. While the woman was busy with paperwork and receiving her son's award, she held on. But when all the duties were completed and only the order remained in her hands instead of a living embrace, the moment came when the pain became unbearable, and reality - empty and fragile.
The organization did not remain on the sidelines: Lydia was invited to group consultation meetings with a psychologist as part of the project “Humanitarian Response and Recovery: Strengthening the Leadership of Women’s Organizations with Disabilities,” which is implemented by the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine with the technical support of UN Women in Ukraine and funding from the UN Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF). Psychological support helped her carefully, step by step, to reflect on the loss she had experienced, learn to recognize the impact of trauma, understand the nature of stress and emotional exhaustion.
Such meetings help women restore their inner balance, strengthen their own resources, take care of their emotional state, and once again find support in themselves and their values.
It was thanks to this program that Lydia began to return to life. She is learning to allow herself to feel, to experience difficult emotions, not to be ashamed to ask for help and accept support. Gradually, the woman feels that she can breathe again, even if for now through tears.
Her experience reminds us: turning to a psychologist is not a sign of weakness, but a way of taking care of yourself, a necessary step towards recovery after a loss.
Support can change lives. People live next to us who carry the silent burden of grief every day. And each of us can help - with a sincere word, a sensitive presence or simply a willingness to listen. Sometimes this is the small spark that gives a person the opportunity to take a step towards life.
The trainings were conducted by the Organization of Veterans of Ukraine of the Industrial District of Kharkiv within the framework of the project "Humanitarian Response and Recovery: Strengthening the Leadership of Women's Organizations with Disabilities", which is implemented by the Public Organization "National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) with the technical support of UN Women Ukraine / ООН Жінки в Україні and with funding from the UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF).
However, this does not imply that the views and content expressed in the training are officially endorsed or recognized by the United Nations.
The UN Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF) is a flexible and operational funding instrument that supports quality interventions to enhance the capacity of local women to prevent conflicts, respond to crises and emergencies, and harness key peacebuilding opportunities.
