Support for our Ukrainian Family

On March 2nd, 2023, my family and I welcomed a Ukrainian refugee family of three, Sasha, Olya, and their 5-year-old son Marat into our home. Before the Russian invasion of their country, they lived in Kharkiv, a beautiful Ukrainian region on the border of Russia. On February 25, 2022, the day after the attacks began, they packed what they could in their car and quickly made their way to Sasha's mother's town on the outskirts of Kharkiv. They lived there temporarily for the next six months, as they decided on their next steps.

While there, Sasha and Olya made quick trips back to their flat in the city whenever the city was accessible, to pack more belongings amidst loud rockets and bombings. They made sure to write up their Will so their son would be in good hands, should anything happen to them. Once ready, the three moved to Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, away from the hot zone. Months passed, and the war only seemed to intensify. So they decided to take a leap of faith, to leave their country, families, and careers - everything they knew and loved behind, for a safe and more stable life in the United States.

In November of last year, I came across this photo in a Facebook group called "Help for Ukraine." In the post Olya was asking for someone who would sponsor her and her family so they can temporarily move to the US through the U4U (Unite for Ukraine) program. I couldn't help but see myself and my family in them. I had also been searching for a way to personally help the people of Ukraine, who, until recently, lived their normal lives, just like us. Having a young son myself, it was especially difficult for me to bear the thought of these innocent young children being robbed of their childhood. In fact Olya mentioned during our initial video chat that she decided to leave because she didn’t want her son growing up knowing the terror of war.

Through our sponsorship, they have been granted access to the U.S. for the next two years. We understand that starting over in a new country can be challenging, and we want to ensure that Sasha, Olya, and Marat have the resources they need to thrive. We are requesting financial donations to support their stay, which will go towards purchasing a car, insurance, securing housing nearby Marat's school, and other basic needs. Any additional funds raised will be used to help them pursue education and job training opportunities, so they can eventually become self-sufficient and contribute to our community.

Before the war, Sasha worked as a car parts sales manager and Olya as a chief sales officer of a distribution company. They both hold Masters Degrees: Sasha in Finance and Olya in Business Management. Olya has many skills including permanent make-up (licensed in Ukraine; I am one of her very happy clients!) and floral arrangement. Sasha loves to run, and is happy to be able to run his 10K in the early mornings, since he had not been able to since the war broke out. They are a very driven couple and it has been our fortune to share our lives with them, being inspired by their resilient, cheerful spirit. This fund will give them a huge boost and a load off their list of hurdles to get to where they want to be; and eventually to also help their families back home, whose safety is not certain on a day to day basis.

We thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for your love, understanding and generosity!

Sincerely,

Fumi, Paul & Bodhi