Hello, my name is Xenia. I was born and raised in Ukraine. I remember hearing heartbreaking stories of World War II from my grandparents. Starvation, repression, genocide – memories shared by all Ukrainian families. The movies, books, and memorials littered across Ukraine served as a reminder of the cruelty directed at her people. Few believed it could happen again and yet today, my family once more finds itself in a violent war zone with their lives under threat. I have the opportunity to help them escape and start over in Canada, but I cannot do it without your help.

 

Fourteen (14) of my loved ones have been displaced by this war. They have had to leave their livelihoods (homes, income) behind to save their lives. Their homes are no longer safe or have been outright destroyed. You can see some of their faces in the banner above*. They are fleeing from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kramatorsk, and the Donetsk region of the country’s east. You may have read the names of these places in the news. It was not their choice to leave. Every time I hang up the phone, I pray that I will hear their voices again. Our conversations feel like a brutal dream. They go to sleep every night saying "goodbye" to each other because their safety is not assured. My 4-year-old nephew, the smiling toddler in the banner above, now has stories about the time a rocket crashed into his family’s building, of hiding in bomb shelters (see below), and of sleeping on old mattresses. No one deserves this kind of childhood.

 

 

 

 

I am a lucky Ukrainian whose life story took them to North America early on. I ask you to help make more Ukrainians just as lucky by assisting them on their path to Canada. In return for your help, I will spend 4 hours every week through the end of the year cleaning up trash in the beautiful streets, parks, and beaches of Toronto, the city that I am so grateful to call home. You can follow my progress on IG (@morethanprayer). Together we can make our world a better place to live, for your family and mine.

 

HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED

All money donated will go towards helping them reach Canada and start their new lives. My loved ones have left home with only documents and necessities in hand. They are arriving with nothing else. Please read the breakdown below for more detailed information about how the money will be used.

 

- Travel and visa costs, legal fees.

- Living costs (temporary lodging, food, hygiene items, etc.) while they await visas.

- Foundational living costs to help them rent stable homes and feed themselves while they seek out employment opportunities.

- Incidental costs they may incur along the way.

 

I am starting the fundraiser at $20,000, though realistically the cost of bringing them to Canada will be closer to 40K. If we are lucky enough to raise more than that sum, the extra funds will be given to charities and other Ukrainian families in need. Follow along with our progress here and on IG (@morethanprayer). Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Please share!

 

* Photo credit:

• Upper banner: Family photos.

• Lower banner: Fadel Senna/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. This image was taken at the railway station in my hometown of Kramatorsk, which many of my loved ones are now fleeing. It has since been shelled in a deadly attack that left more than 50 dead, and nearly 100 injured.