In August of last year, Sasha and Sonia joined our family as refugees. We began to host these two brave teenage basketball players who had fled their home country of Ukraine for Latvia in March of 2022 when the war broke out.

Our family is starting this fund in hopes of helping provide an opportunity for these girls to stay in the US and pay for their education going into the next school year.

Through the hard work of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) in Boston, MA and their dedication to helping Ukrainian children throughout the war, our girls ended up in Massachusetts by Summer of 2023.

Many of their teammates were taken in by different families helping the community in their state of Massachusetts. However, due to a lack of housing options, Sasha and Sonia had to be separated from their team after already having been separated from their own families in Ukraine. That is when we offered to have the girls come down to Florida and live with us in Naples for the 2023-2024 school year.

Sasha and Sonia began attending the nearby Lely High School with limited English skills. Even so, they were welcomed with open arms by the entire school. Every administrator, coach, teammate, and student they interacted with showed them kindness. We are forever grateful for their experience at Lely and all the effort made to ensure their success in their transition.

Unfortunately, the war is unlikely to end anytime in our near future. We’ve had to make many difficult decisions for the wellbeing of both girls since they cannot travel freely to and from the United States. At the formative ages of 16 and 17, Sasha and Sonia have barely seen their loved ones in the last several years. It is a sad reality that these teenage girls have not felt their families’ embrace throughout all these new changes. Everyone involved in their lives know how important it is for them to be able to physically spend time with their mothers and siblings, even if it is only for a week or two.

We want for Sasha and Sonia to have that small comfort. Our family has scoured countless resources for every opportunity. We found that the most accessible way for us to make it happen would be securing student visas granted through attending a private school. Through many hours of research, debate, and discussion we agreed that the promise of a family-like environment as well the possibility of athletic scholarships meant that Seacrest Country Day School in Naples, FL is going to be their best option.

This past year has been a life-changing experience for each of us. They arrived as foreigners in Naples without even having met my husband or daughter. Despite never having set foot in Florida, they’ve excelled beyond every expectation. Their English is constantly improving, they’ve bonded with a diverse group of students, and made incredible strides in athletics alongside their academics. They have achieved so much already and have never once complained about being thrown into all these situations that they never asked for.

We are proud to say that Sonia was voted the district Player of the Year and Sasha made the district's All Star third team. In addition, Sonia has been nominated for SWFL Athlete of the Year and both girls won the 2024 Courage Award at SWFL High School Sports Awards. They have proved their abilities to overcome every challenge and don’t intent on stopping anytime soon if we can help it.

We greatly appreciate the outpour of love and overwhelming support from our community throughout the past year. We plan on continuing to offer Sasha and Sonia the chance to pursue their dreams. With your help, we can make dreams into reality.

Every donation, no matter the size, will aid in paying for their education. Through education we can make the biggest difference in their lives. Please join our journey by donating and sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family, and communities.

More about Sasha and Sonia's journey:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=943303700523592&rdid=6GrFnuTcmy07l9Vg

https://winknews.com/2024/02/02/two-lely-girls-basketball-players-escape-war-in-ukraine/

https://www.naplesnews.com/sports/

https://www.news-press.com/picture-gallery/sports/preps/2024/06/06/see-photos-of-swfl-high-school-sports-awards-winners/74005645007/

https://www.coastalbreezenews.com/sports/lely-dream-ends-in-regional-finals/article_8f6db850-d66f-11ee-8342-f7da25428b82.html