Rokada Staff, Left to right_Alisa, Tetiana, Anna, Oleksandra_ Credit Anna Romandash_Oxfam
Two years since the escalation of war in 2022, Ukraine is struggling to support those who are most vulnerable across the country. In 2022, as a result of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) fell by almost 30%. With five million people internally displaced (IDP’s) , providing services for those in need is getting more complicated. There is a shortage of housing for those whose homes were destroyed, and many people cannot support themselves.
Rokada is among the organizations which stepped in to help those in greatest need. This charitable foundation has been working since 2002, providing help to refugees seeking asylum in Ukraine. In response to the crisis in 2022, Rokada decided to extend its work to internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as other vulnerable groups whose lives deteriorated dramatically due to the war. The team grew from 20 to more than 400 employees working across Ukraine – and supporting displaced populations and other communities in need. With the support of Oxfam, Rokada has been able to distribute hygiene and support kits, provide psychological support, and carry out information campaigns to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. For Rokada team, this is about Ukraine’s future – stepping up when the state cannot cope and leaving no one behind
Tetiana’s story
Tetiana Rostovska, 30, is the head of the department on prevention of gender-based violence at “Rokada”
“If you compare me before and after the 2022 invasion, I surprisingly feel much stronger professionally,” says Tetiana, “I had a serious post-crisis growth when the first shock and stress passed.”
Tetiana was in Kyiv when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. She lived on the twentieth floor of a high-rise building with her husband and five cats. With missiles falling over her city, she knew she had to leave.
In her temporary shelter in Western Ukraine, Tetiana had no connection – and almost no hope. She felt like she’d never return home and never see the things she left behind.
But when the area around Kyiv became more secure, she felt like her energy was coming back. She decided to return to Kyiv – and use all her expertise to help those who lived through occupation and displacement.
“I had a moral inner calling,” she recalls.
After joining Rokada, Tetiana has been working on preventing gender-based violence – and supporting both internally displaced people and other vulnerable groups.
“I am very impressed by being able to work in close proximity to community members and the direct opportunity to work with the most vulnerable groups,” she says, “Oxfam allowed us to focus not only on internally displaced persons, but on the affected population in general, on women in rural areas, on youth.”
“If you compare me before and after the 2022 invasion, I surprisingly feel much stronger professionally. I had a serious post-crisis growth when the first shock and stress passed.”
Anna’s story
Anna Kolodochka, 53, psychologist at Rokada
“Not only my city has been destroyed, but also my apartment, my home, everything that I had has been destroyed. I left like everyone else,” sighs Anna.
Anna is a psychologist helping internally displaced people and victims of gender-based violence. She is also an internally displaced person herself. Her city is gone – so she understands better than anyone else the pain of many other Ukrainians whose homes are no longer there.
Anna has been working near the frontlines since 2019 in her home city of Bakhmut. Back then, it was referred to as zone zero. Anna used to go to the frontline and work with people who left the areas under occupation of the Russian Federation. She never expected that soon, the war would spread to the rest of the country, and she’d be fleeing her home, too.
Anna’s mission is to help people learn how to act when faced with emotional outbursts of loved ones or despair. She is aiding people to reflect on their trauma as well as to start communicating more – to avoid violence and help war-affected individuals feel better.
“If you want everything to be okay with you, you need a psychologist so that things don't get worse later,” she concludes, “You need to take care of yourself.”
Alisa’s story
Alisa Lakhmanova, 22, social worker and gender-based violence case manager at Rokada
“Growing up in occupation, I learned how to read clues about possible danger,” says Alisa, “I got more anxious as a child, and I grew up faster.”
Alisa is from Makiivka, an Eastern Ukrainian city that’s been under the occupation of the Russian Federation since 2014. She was a child when this happened. Her family tried to leave the area but could not find work and housing in other parts of Ukraine – so they were forced to return. Alisa moved out of the area when she was already a young adult.
This experience is what brought Alisa into social work – and to Rokada. Here, she’s helping IDPs and survivors of gender-based violence.
“The people I support inspire me,” Alisa says, “My colleagues can see me running around the office happy because something worked out fora person I support or I'm meeting this family tomorrow that I'm excited to see. It is very noticeable how people blossom after getting some attention from us.”
“Growing up in occupation, I learned how to read clues about possible danger. I got more anxious as a child, and I grew up faster.”
Oleksandra’s story
Oleksandra Nahorna, 22, community social worker on gender-based violence at Rokada
“I am a proactive person, and I like visiting communities,” says Oleksandra, “I like to communicate with people and convey something.”
Oleksandra works with young people – she conducts training sessions on gender-based violence in colleges and travels to rural areas to talk with youth about this topic. The issue of gender-based violence is still stigmatized in many communities. Oleksandra is trying to change that. With her “equal-to-equal” approach, she is breaking the ice with young people and has honest conversations with them on how to prevent violence and where to turn for help.
Oleksandra also works with other vulnerable people – making sure that their needs are heard and addressed.
“Sometimes it happens that I talk to a person, and they start telling me how they had a house, and everything was fine, but now they have nothing of their own, and thanks to us, our organization bought them a mattress,” she recalls, “And the people joke that they will protect this mattress because it is their own thing. This makes my blood freeze. After such calls, I even go out for fresh air because it is difficult to continue working after these stories.”