Rebuilding home, restoring hope: Antonyna's story of resilience

A roof, a dignity: how Medair restores joy to families broken by conflict

“I didn’t even know if I was still alive.”

Antonyna, 88, remembers the night the drones struck the fertiliser silo next door in her hometown of Sumy, Ukraine. The sound was deafening. She pulled a blanket over her head, trembling with fear. When the explosions stopped, her world had vanished. Her garden, her food, and her joy were gone. The animals were lost, and the roof over her head was torn away.

Where conflict strikes, joy can return

“I’ve lived here since 1972. Before that, I lived in Kharkiv. I was born in 1937, so this is the second time I’ve experienced a conflict like this. It’s very hard for me to hide my tears. Whenever I remember the fighting, I start to cry,” said Antonyna.

At 35, she lost her husband and raised her two children alone. She built her home with her bare hands, while studying and working as an accountant in a factory that no longer exists; it too, was destroyed. She still remembers the day her life changed: “I remember the night of the attack of 2025 in Sumy. I heard all the drones strike the farm storage tanks next door. The noise was deafening. I hid under my blanket, shaking. I didn’t know if I was alive or not.”

Life before had been peaceful. Her garden had been her pride, her food, and her joy. But after the attack, the explosion of nearby slurry tanks flooded her field with animal waste. All the vegetables were destroyed, and many of her animals were lost.

“At the beginning of the conflict, I cried constantly. Now, I feel a little stronger, but because of my age it’s hard to cope. I worry because I can't help our community. I can’t do anything physical, and financially I can’t support them either,” said Antonyna.

Neighbours helped her hide in the basement, never sure when the next strike would come. Only one house in the neighbourhood still had a roof that night. Families gathered there to keep warm, pressed together against the cold. When the wind blew through the gaps above her bed, Antonyna felt as if she was lying under the open sky.  

“The biggest challenge for me was living with a destroyed roof,” she said softly. “Every day I prayed for the future – and for hope."

Every repair, a step towards joy

Then, Medair’s Cash for Repair programme gave her the means to restore her home – and her hope.  

Engineers assessed her home, providing technical guidance to ensure every repair met safety and quality standards. With professional advice and financial support, Antonyna could act quickly. Rather than waiting for contractors or relying on standard kits, she chose the repairs that mattered most for her safety.

“After months of broken windows, leaking roofs, and doors that would not close, families can finally choose the repairs that restore safety, warmth and joy. It’s often the first time they’ve felt in control since the conflict began,” explained Bryan, Medair’s Shelter Project Manager.

“This assistance has brought me confidence in a better future, and faith that kindness still exists. Without it, I would have been homeless,” said Antonyna.

Restoring homes, and lives

“For families like Antonyna’s, Cash for Repair is one of the fastest and most dignified ways to restore shelter. It empowers them to decide their own priorities – whether windows, doors, or roofs – while supporting local carpenters, builders, and shops. The result is not only safety and warmth, but also a sense of dignity and optimism after months of living with broken windows, leaking roofs, or doors that would not close.  

“With every repair completed, a house becomes liveable again, and a family regains a sense of stability and belonging,” said Bryan. “Unlike standard humanitarian aid, such as shelter kits or slow, centralised repairs, the Cash for Shelter programme is fast, dignified and empowering. Families become decision-makers, not passive recipients.”

“I’m very thankful for the help I have received. Without it, I would have been homeless, because nobody else was there to help in a way that would give me normal living conditions. This assistance from Medair has brought me hope, confidence in a better future, and faith that kindness still exists. I’m deeply grateful that you have not forgotten about people like me,” said Antonyna.  

Your gift repairs more than walls and roofs

It preserves dignity. It brings back hope. It allows families like Antonyna’s to sleep safely under their own roof again.

Each contribution ripples outward – repairing homes, sustaining local livelihoods, and helping entire communities recover.

• This is one of the fastest, most dignified ways to restore safe shelter.

• Families are active participants in rebuilding their lives.

• With your support, broken homes become whole again.

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How Medair restores homes – and hope

Through our Cash for Repair programme, families like Antonyna’s receive direct financial support to repair homes damaged by conflict. This means they can act quickly, choosing the repairs that matter most – whether a broken window for warmth, a door for security, or a roof to keep the family safe.

• Targeted support: Families are identified based on vulnerability – elderly people, single parents, people with disabilities, displaced, or low-income households.

• Guidance and safety: Medair engineers provide expert advice so that repairs are safe, cost-effective, and durable.

• Flexible solutions: Families may receive direct cash transfers, building materials, or contractor support if they cannot carry out the repairs on their own.

• Lasting impact: Local carpenters, builders, and shops benefit too, as finances circulate within the community.  

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Together, we can change lives

Antonyna’s story is the story of millions of forgotten people in Eastern Ukraine.

In 2025, it is estimated that 6.9 million people in Ukraine will require shelter and life-saving humanitarian aid. Page 69

In 2024 alone, Medair assisted 68,304 Ukrainian people with shelter support – yet many more are still waiting for the simple joy of feeling at home again.  

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Your donation can give vulnerable people like Antonyna a future.

With your help, we can turn cold nights into warmth, shattered walls into shelter, and fear into joy.

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