Hi!

My name is Mykola Trusov.

TL;DR

We are a Ukrainian family of 10, now living in Castelo Branco, Portugal, after fleeing the war. After a year in Bulgaria, we chose Portugal for safety and stability, welcoming a new baby soon after arriving. We work hard, but high rent makes life difficult. Buying a home would cut our expenses and finally give our kids a permanent place to grow. We’re fundraising for a down payment so we can get a mortgage, as monthly payments would be much lower than rent.

A Bit More About Us

When the war started, we left Ukraine and spent over a year in Bulgaria (a touch on our story here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-this-family-relocate-out-of-ukraine). As it became clear the war wouldn’t end soon, and with another baby on the way, we knew we needed a more permanent home for our family. We chose Portugal for its calm and safety. A few months after arriving, we welcomed our baby boy, Kostiantyn.

I work remotely as a software engineer and have tried to find a higher-paying job, but opportunities are limited right now. My wife, Kateryna, is a full-time mom. She also gives cello lessons and makes bead jewellery to sell, but her main focus is caring for our children.

Here’s a bit about each of us:

Oleksandr has just finished school and, like many young people, is struggling with 'What’s next?'. He also helps Kateryna a lot around the house.

Valentyna chose to stay in the Ukrainian online school rather than switch to a Portuguese one, and she has just one more year to go before graduation.

Lev and Solomiya switched to Portuguese schools - it was tough, but they’re adapting well now.

Nafanail started his first grade here, and Illia attends preschool.

Nafanail, Illia, and Luchana are all loving Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes, while Lev and Solomiya are enjoying Judo.

We are grateful for the safety and new opportunities Portugal offers, but the high cost of renting a property large enough for our family is a constant challenge. If we could buy a home, our monthly costs would drop dramatically, giving us the stability we need. We’re raising funds for a down payment, as we won't be able to reach that on our own.

Every donation helps. Thank you for reading and supporting our journey!

With gratitude,

Mykola, Kateryna, Oleksandr, Valentyna, Lev, Solomiya, Nafanail, Illia, Luchana, and Kostiantyn