Rent aid for a Ukrainian family

Hey all! My name is Anne Marie. I live in Denmark, but I was born and raised in Estonia, where my family still resides. The following story from back home was told by my mom and inspired the purpose of this fundraiser.

After Russia started its active invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Estonia, among other countries, took action to help the people fleeing Ukraine. Not only are the government and many organisations offering support to the Ukrainians rebuilding their lives in Estonia, but civilians have also initiated donation groups all over the country to gather and give away essential household items such as pots, pans, clothes, toys etc. My mom met Kateryna and her two sons during one of these donation meetings, which got them talking.

Kateryna, Tymofii (6y) and Tihhon (1y) are a Ukrainian family from a small town in Chernihiv Oblast, near the border of Belarus. In February 2022, they were forced to leave their home after 20+ Russian soldiers with firearms showed up at their doorstep and demanded to get in to take over their household. There had been shooting, rapes and abuse by the Russian soldiers in this village recently. That night Kateryna decided to pack the suitcase and take the kids to safety. The residents' cars had been confiscated, which made their escape difficult. Luckily Kateryna's husband found an old car and drove his wife and sons closer to the Belarus border. The last few kilometres to the border, Kateryna had to carry an 11-month-old son and suitcase, accompanied by a 6-year-old, through snow and mud. Men weren't allowed to leave the country even if they were not fit to fight, so her husband had to be left behind.

Even though the mom and kids were seemingly safe after crossing the border and being met by a relative, who resides in Belarus, they still had a long journey ahead. The kids fell ill on the way, which prolonged the trip. Finally, in March 2022, the three arrived in Estonia and settled there. Since Kateryna was still on maternity leave with Tihhon, she had a small monthly income up until October 2022.

The current situation is that Kateryna does not have a job and neither Tymofii nor Tihhon have a place in daycare. They live in a tiny one-room dorm apartment in Lasnamägi, Tallinn, where the monthly rent is 400€ + utilities which until now have been approx 150€ a month. During the cold Estonian winter months, utilities can go up to 250€ if not more.

At this point, I would ask the help of my network to gather rent money for Kateryna and the boys so they could survive December, January and February without worrying about their living situation. My mom is in regular contact with Kateryna: helping them with transportation, collecting clothes, medicine, food and checking in on how they're doing. I strongly believe that together we can make their life a little happier and better to cope with. If 390 people would each donate 5€, it would be enough to cover their three months’ rent. It's a cup of coffee for us, but it's a massive help for the boys and their mom.

5€ = 37DKK

£5 = 43DKK

$5 = 38DKK

Here are a few facts to put the story in perspective: