Viktoriia Tiutiunnyk, Protection Associate in Dnipro, Ukraine. She joined UNHCR in April 2022 to help with the humanitarian response. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko
“Blackouts, missile attacks, air alarms: this is my reality today. And not only because I am working in Dnipro, Ukraine, but also because I too have been displaced by this war.
However, I don’t even think about being in danger anymore – I am totally engaged and devoted to my role in finding solutions for internally displaced and war-affected people, together with our partners, local authorities, and other organizations.
The problems the people we serve face every day are mostly the same: looking for accommodation and receiving guidance on where and how to access money, food, and medicine.
And when they move to a new place, they mostly become isolated, they remain alone; they don’t know where to get food or spend time with their children.
My biggest fear is that I will not have the time to help someone or to share the essential information they need. What scares me even more is that we are getting used to living in war conditions – we are no longer frightened by explosions we hear somewhere in the distance; another shelling does not cause feelings of fear, confusion, horror, and despair as in the first days of this crisis.
Viktoriia Tiutiunnyk, Protection Associate in Dnipro, Ukraine, speaking to colleagues. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko
Dealing with all these thoughts and trying to continue working is a real challenge for me. But I do not want the people we serve to get used to this; I want to get them out of this difficult situation as quickly as I can.
When I see the joy on their faces when I visit them at the collective center, for example – when I see them waiting for me, when they share their feelings and stories with me – I feel I am where I belong. If I bring positivity, joy, or even a light of hope to the people we serve, showing that they are not alone and have not been forgotten, this fills my life with meaning and helps me overcome difficulties.
This is what I enjoy most at my work.
But, of course, this situation has an impact on my whole life. I had to reorganize my everyday routine, spare time, social circle, and even my personal life. I have learned to cope by becoming a home for myself – no matter where I am, I try to find comfort in myself; then, the interaction with the world around me becomes less painful.
I know a lot of people may feel guilty about trying to care for themselves, but I allow myself to live: I eat delicious food, exercise, read books, find a few minutes to look at the sky, and try not to scroll through my phone with all the terrible news. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care – I just allow myself to breathe.
Volodymyr, 51, is living in a collective centre in Dnipro, Ukraine. He survived after falling from the second floor of his house during a missile attack. He could not talk anymore and thought he would never be able to walk again. But he undertook reeducation in the collective centre and now walks again on his own without any assistance. © UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko
But I also know that it is not my fault that this war started, and I cannot stop it alone. It’s difficult, but it’s important to try to find peace within yourself in order to feel the strength to support others. It can be complicated for me sometimes too as I recognize myself in these situations, it could be me, my family,
However, I can be useful where I am; I can help the people we serve through my work, and this is the choice that I have made.
I feel lucky to have my colleagues around me. We are one team. Our managers are experienced and dedicated, they are living examples and role models, strong and leading figures helping me stay motivated and do my best. I am proud to say that in our Dnipro team, we are here for one another. At the end of the day, working in an emergency and protecting people forced to flee is not about just work responsibilities for me. I chose to embrace it, it is part of my life.”
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