Kira, Leaving Occupied Kherson

Kira woke up in the morning from loud explosions. It was February 24, 2022. She is only eight. Even then, her mother, Hanna, understood that the family was at risk, because she taught the history of Ukraine, and such a profession could arouse suspicion among the occupiers.

Together with her family, Kira hid in her grandmother's room. It had the fewest windows, so it seemed to be at least a little safer there. Now the girl is eleven, and she has been living in Lviv for more than three years. Her story is the path from fear during the occupation of Kherson to a new life, creativity and help to others.

“I woke up and heard explosions. At first, I didn't understand what was going on, but my mother was alarmed and the explosions were repeated. My brother, mother, grandmother, and our dog gathered in my grandmother's room. I climbed under the table with the dog, we put the lamp and sat there. I remember how a rocket flew over the house - we could hear a whistle, and we were very scared, because it could just get into the house,” the girl recalls.

In occupied Kherson, they had to stand in queues for food for hours. During one of the walks to the store, they saw a Russian military vehicle. Her mother even thought about resistance but restrained. She understood any careless step could have serious consequences - her arrest or the forced removal of her daughter to Russia.

“Mom kept a knife like a small axe in the room near the bed. Just in case. Because there were no police in the city, no one, and it was scary that the marauders might come,— says Kira.”

On April 17, 2022, the family was finally able to leave. At checkpoints, their small dachshund barked at the military in balaclavas, while their mother, a Ukrainian history teacher, hid a laptop with educational materials under her feet in the car. The language of the gadgets also had to be changed from Ukrainian to Russian.

“At the exit from Kherson, there were rascists (Ukrainian derogatory slang for Russians). They stopped many cars and checked things, but they did not check us. Maybe because I was sitting in the car with my brother's girlfriend, and we looked like an ordinaryfamily. And my mom was carrying a laptop with her-she's a history teacher, and there was a lot about Ukraine. If they saw us, they could have shot us forthat. It was very scary. We were very scared that they might do something to the dog or even take it out of the car,” she recalls

During the first months in Lviv, Kira lived with a sense of constant fear. Even strangers on the street scared her, not to mention the sounds of military vehicles. After living in occupied Kherson, the habit of cautiously looking at faces remained - because there was never any certainty who was in front of you: an ordinary person or someone from whom you should stay as far away as possible.   

“I could walk down the street with my mother, and as soon as something made a noise, I would grab her hand. My mom would say: “Kira, these are our people, don't be afraid,” but the fear still remained. Because under occupation, any car is a threat,” Kira shares her memory.

Her mother found a support group for Kherson residents, through which she learned about a creative circle nearby. Kira chose a theater class and vocals. For three winters in a row, she played a role in a nativity scene, performed in different locations, and collected donations-first for drones for the Armed Forces, then for equipment for the group.

For Kira, performing in a military hospital was a special experience. At first, she was scared - it was hard to look at the wounded soldiers. But she was not alone: she was supported by her mother and her theater teacher, and Kira gradually overcame her fear. In a few months, she visited the hospital about ten times: she caroled, recited Shevchenko's poems, and sang hayivky.

“We even performed in a military hospital. I was very afraid to go there then. But my mother, my teacher from the theater club and familiar children were with me - and I calmed down a bit. Some soldiers had a hard time: they lay in beds without legs or without arms. They were sad because it's not easy to lie in the hospital and see the pain every day. We came to give them at least a little joy, to cheer them up,” — says Kira.

After that, the girl began to play the guitar - andgot carried away from the first lesson. She continues her studies today, andher teacher is already preparing the girl for her first performance at a localclub. Together with a boy from the circle, they are preparing a duet - theywill perform "Night What a Moon".

Kira often visits the "Voices of Children" center in Lviv. Here she attended many classes - board games, creative workshops, and also participated in a psychological group. Two psychologists worked with the children, and the group itself usually had from ten to fifteen participants. Teenagers discussed complex topics, learned to understand themselves better, and at the end of each meeting they drew on a given topic. Classes with psychologists helped her better communicate with people.

“I also attended a psychological group. I never wanted to miss these meetings - it was very interesting here. There is a very cool space here, kind people who can always help if something happens or just need to talk,”— shares Kira.

From fears under occupation to the music scene, Kira has taken thanks to the support of relatives and psychologists of the foundation. When asked if it is worth visiting the center, the girl answers without hesitation.

“It helps a lot. For example, there arepsychologists with whom you can talk. These classes helped me communicatebetter. I started talking more, it became easier for me to meet new people,”—concluded Kira.