Kateryna Nesterenko

Katerina Nesterenko is 75 years old and comes from the village of Veletenske in the Kherson region. She spent her entire life working as a nurse in the gastroenterology department of the district hospital. Her husband passed away 18 years ago, so she managed the household on her own.

“On February 24th, I woke up to explosions, and then I saw helicopters. 68 enemy helicopters… They were flying so low that I could see them in great detail. I remember that terrifying day as if it were yesterday,” recalls Ms. Kateryna.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, her life changed drastically. Almost all the time, Ms. Kateryna had to live in a basement. Only when everything outside calmed down, she would emerge from the shelter and try to quickly tend to her garden, prepare food, or clean the house after the aftermath of the shelling. The windows and doors could not withstand the shockwave.

Due to the constant stress and anxiety, her health worsened. Although she had thyroid problems even before the war, the result was joint deformities, as well as issues with her legs and spine. But with the start of the continuous shelling, which still occurs both day and night, she began to suffer from sleep problems and excessive anxiety. Thanks to the help of volunteers, the woman was able to be evacuated in a pre-stroke condition and sent to a shelter in the village of Voynyliv.

“I have problems with my legs. So, I was so happy that they came to meet me at the train station, brought me here, and settled me in. I didn’t expect such constant care and support. I am very pleased and very grateful!” — shares the resident of the shelter.

What tomorrow holds, Ms. Kateryna does not know. She dreams of seeing her native village again, the landscapes she knows so well. To tend to her garden, but this time under a peaceful sky. And she truly believes that, thanks to supporting one another, we will overcome all hardships and return to a life that, for now, exists only in dreams and memories.