Highland volunteers rebuild homes destroyed by war in Ukraine

Volunteers from a Highland charity have returned from Kyiv after helping people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Members of Children’s Ministry Ukraine have been rebuilding homes damaged by fighting.

The charity says Ukraine has been so badly damaged by the conflict that rebuilding work will be needed for decades.

Organiser Simeon Ewing said: “We’ve been rebuilding homes that have lost pretty much everything over the last four years. We’ve been able to help folk who have suffered a lot.

“Life is very different, but somehow they’ve managed to adjust to it. It just becomes a part of life.

“There’s probably a lot of tiredness and anxiety all under the surface, and one day they will work through it, but it’s very difficult for them.”

Volunteers from the Highland charity in Kyiv, Ukraine Children's Ministry Ukraine/Simeon Ewing

Among the homes they worked on was that of a woman whose life has twice been torn apart by the conflict.
Olha’s husband was killed during Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014, forcing her to flee west.

Over the next eight years, she restored an apartment so she could start again in Irpin. However, just two days before she was due to move in, the full-scale invasion began and the apartment was destroyed in bombing.

Trustee Jo Whillis was one of the volunteers who travelled to Ukraine.

“It was a very humbling experience,” she said. “People said over and over again, ‘we’re so grateful to you for coming.’

“They almost didn’t understand that we would come out there to help them without requiring anything in return.

“One of the highlights was meeting the different people we’re supporting. I hope in the future there’s a chance to go back.”

Ukrainian children were given Chromebooks refurbished by Highland Innovation Children's Ministry Ukraine/Simeon Ewing

The group also gave 12 refurbished laptops to local school children, donated by Inverness-based community interest company Highlands Innovation.

The founders are giving back after being forced to flee Ukraine in 2022 and settle in Scotland.

Anastasia Kudriavsteva said: “I’ve seen some videos of people saying that it really changes their lives. My mum told me that when we sent tech to kids with disabilities, a friend of hers who helped coordinate this cried over the phone because of how much it meant to them.”

The charity will take a number of Ukrainians to a retreat in the Carpathian Mountains this summer.