Aid for Ukrainian Refugee Parents and Child

My name is Anna Bauer. I immigrated to the US when I was 14 with my mom and my sister from Ukraine. None of my other family members could come to the US for various reasons. When the war started on February 24, 2022, almost all of my family members decided to stay in Ukraine. Except for my half-sister (Ksenia Shepielieva) on my father’s side, who took her 2-year-old daughter (Mira Siednieva) and walked away. She headed out to safety and crossed the border to Moldova on foot because her bus transport was canceled at the last minute. Through the kindness of strangers, they were able to get to the Czech Republic and reunite with her fiancé (Andrei Siedniev), who was in the Czech Republic on a work visa.

The three of them are now there. They have secured temporary safe housing, and Andrei has employment. However, they do not know anyone there. Ksenia and my father are not able to leave Ukraine. Andrei’s mother is also not with them. There is nowhere for them to return to as of now.

Mira does not have stable childcare. She is going to turn three years old in November. Her formative years have been disrupted by a senseless war and separation from her extended family. As a mental health professional and as Mira’s aunt, I know how vital it is for her to now have stability and safety at this age to avoid long-term adverse psychological effects.

I would love nothing more than to help Ksenia, Mira and Andrei come here, to the safety of the United States of America, through the Humanitarian Parole Program, which opened its doors on 4/25/2022. The program requires that I provide sponsorship to them, which I am willing to do but cannot do alone.

I am just an average American working a full-time job and raising two little girls with my husband. We don’t have the funds that the government requires to get the process approved, but we have a love for Ksenia, Mira and Andrei. We are their only chance to be with family soon.

I am asking for funds to help me bring them to safety and to provide stability. The funds will be used by Ksenia to purchase airfare from Prague to the US. When they arrive to the US, the funds will be used in Capitol Region of NY , Albany County where I live.

We plan to use the funds to secure housing and assist with medical bills and transportation.