Help the Dubynas have their baby in Canada
Donation protected
THE BASICS:
Hi! My name is Laura, and I’m a first generation Ukrainian Canadian from Vancouver. Along with my extended family, we’re working to bring our cousins, Daria and Anatolii, who are expecting their first baby, out of Ukraine and into Canada, away from war.
We’ve had so many people ask us if there are any ways they can help. We’re so thankful. We’ve started this Go Fund Me in response! Feel free to share it far and wide.
THE BACK STORY:
So many of us Canadians are the children and grandchildren of immigrants, many of whom were able to come to Canada through sponsorship. Caring and generous people who were willing to pay and support new families as they got on their feet and started a new life.
Two years ago, my siblings, cousins and I received an unexpected Facebook message from a relative in Ukraine. As our grandparents had been displaced and separated from their families during WW2, we didn't have contact with any family still living there, so this was a welcome surprise!
Anatolii introduced himself and his wife Daria, our second cousin. He is an IT engineer and Daria is a materials engineer. We were thrilled to make contact! Stories passed down from our own late Baba and Diid (grandma and grandpa) came to light as we learned that family members still lived in the same house that our Baba grew up in (and was taken from at the age of 18 during the war).
THE CURRENT SITUATION:
As the tension in Ukraine mounted these past few months, the family collectively decided that if they needed any help, we would be there for them. As the invasion began, we learned that Daria is heavily pregnant, and that they had only just built and moved into their new home a few months ago - a devastating time for the chaos of war to arrive!
It has been a whirlwind of a month as we've all watched the news closely. We have received ongoing updates from Anatolii and Daria about the status of their own city of Lutsk, and discussed the possibility of getting Daria to Canada, followed by Anatolii when he is permitted to leave. Currently, men are not allowed to leave as ordered by the Ukrainian government.
Obviously this is such a stressful time for all involved. We can only imagine the emotions and stress involved in:
THE REQUEST FOR HELP:
In order to help Daria set up a new life in Canada, and eventually bring Anatolii here, we are asking for your help to supplement the family’s existing financial support.
We’d like to support them with funding and/or donated items* to do the following:
*If you have an item to donate in Edmonton, please contact our cousin Tara - [email redacted]
We would be so grateful for any support we receive from friends, family, and new friends who just want to do something really practical for a lovely Ukrainian couple!
THE LATEST NEWS:
Over the past week and a half, great efforts have been made to bring Daria out of Ukraine and into Canada. Steve himself flew to Poland to meet her and helped get her set up with a visa and all the many documents needed to quickly fly her to Canada before she was too far in her pregnancy to be on a plane. On Wednesday (Mar 23rd) Steve and Daria arrived in Canada after an intense and hectic journey.
For right now, Daria will settle with Steve and his wife Tara, and their four kids in Edmonton. Next steps will happen as they happen. We are all so thankful to Steve and all his crazy work going to Europe to help Daria come to Canada, and so thankful that she and the baby are safe.
Hi! My name is Laura, and I’m a first generation Ukrainian Canadian from Vancouver. Along with my extended family, we’re working to bring our cousins, Daria and Anatolii, who are expecting their first baby, out of Ukraine and into Canada, away from war.
We’ve had so many people ask us if there are any ways they can help. We’re so thankful. We’ve started this Go Fund Me in response! Feel free to share it far and wide.
THE BACK STORY:
So many of us Canadians are the children and grandchildren of immigrants, many of whom were able to come to Canada through sponsorship. Caring and generous people who were willing to pay and support new families as they got on their feet and started a new life.
Two years ago, my siblings, cousins and I received an unexpected Facebook message from a relative in Ukraine. As our grandparents had been displaced and separated from their families during WW2, we didn't have contact with any family still living there, so this was a welcome surprise!
Anatolii introduced himself and his wife Daria, our second cousin. He is an IT engineer and Daria is a materials engineer. We were thrilled to make contact! Stories passed down from our own late Baba and Diid (grandma and grandpa) came to light as we learned that family members still lived in the same house that our Baba grew up in (and was taken from at the age of 18 during the war).
THE CURRENT SITUATION:
As the tension in Ukraine mounted these past few months, the family collectively decided that if they needed any help, we would be there for them. As the invasion began, we learned that Daria is heavily pregnant, and that they had only just built and moved into their new home a few months ago - a devastating time for the chaos of war to arrive!
It has been a whirlwind of a month as we've all watched the news closely. We have received ongoing updates from Anatolii and Daria about the status of their own city of Lutsk, and discussed the possibility of getting Daria to Canada, followed by Anatolii when he is permitted to leave. Currently, men are not allowed to leave as ordered by the Ukrainian government.
Obviously this is such a stressful time for all involved. We can only imagine the emotions and stress involved in:
- being separated for an unknown length of time from your spouse, while expecting your first baby.
- leaving your homeland that you love, where you speak the native language, where your family has lived for centuries.
- expecting your first child, giving birth, and caring for a baby for the first time, all during a war.
- hearing air raid sirens continually throughout the day, and watching news of the war creeping closer to your brand new home.
- considering leaving your family - Daria's mother, uncle, and grandmother remain in Ukraine in a now-Russian-occupied zone.
- moving to a completely different country that speaks another language and has a whole different culture.
- leaving good careers and having to start fresh in a new environment.
THE REQUEST FOR HELP:
In order to help Daria set up a new life in Canada, and eventually bring Anatolii here, we are asking for your help to supplement the family’s existing financial support.
We’d like to support them with funding and/or donated items* to do the following:
- cover the cost of the immigration and travel for Daria, and eventually Anatolii
- cover the many costs associated with pregnancy and having a baby
- helping them with spending money as they get their footing in Canada
- any health care costs beyond the basic provincial care
- help them get set up independently when they’re ready
*If you have an item to donate in Edmonton, please contact our cousin Tara - [email redacted]
We would be so grateful for any support we receive from friends, family, and new friends who just want to do something really practical for a lovely Ukrainian couple!
THE LATEST NEWS:
Over the past week and a half, great efforts have been made to bring Daria out of Ukraine and into Canada. Steve himself flew to Poland to meet her and helped get her set up with a visa and all the many documents needed to quickly fly her to Canada before she was too far in her pregnancy to be on a plane. On Wednesday (Mar 23rd) Steve and Daria arrived in Canada after an intense and hectic journey.
For right now, Daria will settle with Steve and his wife Tara, and their four kids in Edmonton. Next steps will happen as they happen. We are all so thankful to Steve and all his crazy work going to Europe to help Daria come to Canada, and so thankful that she and the baby are safe.
Organizer and beneficiary
Laura Koch
Organizer
Langley, BC
Daria Dubyna
Beneficiary