In February 2023, *Yuliia crossed the border into Moldova with three of her children, carrying only what they could take with them. Like many Ukrainian families, they were not looking for a new life, but for a place to pause and breathe. Their journey eventually led them to the left bank of the Dniester River, mainly due to more affordable housing and lower living costs. However, access to public services and humanitarian assistance remains more limited in this region, shaping a distinct displacement experience marked by legal, economic, and protection challenges. Today, support provided through the EU-funded PLACE project helps families like Yuliia’s navigate displacement and access protection support.
Yuliia, a mother of five, had a stable family life in Odesa. She had a job, her children were attending school, and the family had no plans to leave the city. However, as the war continued, she was eventually forced to leave Ukraine in February 2023 with her three youngest children, aged 18, 17, and 15, whom she is raising on her own.
Everything changed the day a missile struck a building near their home.
I was at work when part of a missile fell onto a building. At that moment, we were in the basement. I knew my children were at home, and the shock was very strong, I fainted. When I regained consciousness, the only thing I could think about was understanding what had happened to my children. My eldest daughter called me and said that the explosion happened nearby our home but that no one was injured.
After that event, Yuliia could no longer find peace. They spent the winter holidays without electricity and without heating. Power cuts were frequent, there was no water, and the nights were filled with loud noises. The children increasingly expressed their desire to leave. Thus, at the beginning of February 2023, Yuliia decided to leave Ukraine together with three of her children.
We are a large family. I have five children. My eldest son is married, and I have a granddaughter and a grandson. I also have an older daughter who is 26. The other three are with me, they are 18, 17 and 15. I carry all the responsibilities for them on my own.
A mother’s journey to safety in Moldova
The family left Odesa and stopped in the town of Căușeni, in the Republic of Moldova, looking for a place to stay temporarily. There, a local family welcomed them into their home. Yuliia and her three children lived in one room for a year and a half.
Although the conditions were modest, Yuliia says they were received with kindness. She tried to manage on her own, worked, and took care of the children, occasionally receiving food assistance. Over time, costs became harder to cover, and the limited space made daily life difficult, especially for the children, who were already teenagers.
Later, , the family moved to the left bank of the Dniester River, into an . There, each child was able to have their own space.
Here we feel at home. The children are older and need their own rooms. It became easier for us to breathe. I am not complaining. We are grateful.
Yuliia says she is not used to asking for help. However, following the advice of other Ukrainian refugee women, she contacted Femeia Contează, a local civil society organisation working on the left bank.
With the support of Acted and its local partner Femeia Contează, Yuliia was able to receive the support she needed as a refugee and a single mother caring for her three teenage children on the left bank of the Dniester, where access to humanitarian assistance is more restricted.
As part of the Protection Case Management activity implemented with funding from the European Union, Yuliia received individual counselling, information on available services, and in-kind support, including sleeping bags and food assistance.
For the winter, we are now well prepared. Even if the gas is cut off and we have no heating, at least we will be able to keep warm with the sleeping bags.
Yuliia shares that she maintains regular contact with her case worker from Femeia Contează, who has become a key part of her support system, offering vital help as she balances caring for three children while working to meet their basic needs.
Today, Yuliia continues to raise her children on her own and to rebuild her life in an uncertain context. Concerns about the future and financial stability remain, but the support received and the ongoing contact with protection services help her move forward, step by step.
The PLACE project is funded by the European Union and implemented by a consortium composed of Acted, INTERSOS, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), People in Need (PIN), and IMPACT Initiatives, through REACH. By working with local implementing partners, the consortium is able to reach Ukrainian refugees living in less accessible areas, including on the left bank of the Dniester River.
*Name has been changed to protect individual privacy.