The wives and mothers of defenders do not sleep in trenches, repel attacks from enemy artillery, or evacuate the wounded from the battlefield. However, every day they are under pressure from circumstances, anxiety, worry, helplessness, tension, and unresolved household issues because their loved ones are risking their lives right now.
War is a challenge for the entire family. Military families encounter various difficulties on a daily basis. Currently, hundreds of thousands of women are experiencing, without exaggeration, one of the most challenging periods in their lives. They must cope with the focus on the lives and health of their children, loved ones, and relatives who remain nearby and require attention and support.
NGO "Public Movement "Women's Power of Ukraine", supported by ISAR Ednannia, has joined in supporting military spouses and initiated the "Service for Psychosocial Support of Military Families", providing informational and psychological assistance to the families of Ukraine's defenders in 2023-2024.
The project provides women with the opportunity to communicate with specialists and connect with each other for mutual support, as well as to receive tools for improving well-being. This work positively impacts relationships within military families overall, helps to cope with emotional challenges, and provides guidance on how to interact regarding social issues. The Psychosocial Support Service is a shoulder to lean on when it's difficult to cope independently.
Diana, one of the project participants, learned to manage strong emotions thanks to the support group: "I think if someone from the family is at war, then the whole family is at war. People don't understand this, but women in the support group feel it. It was very nice for me to see how women who were really desperate, in a state of complete apathy at the first meeting, on the last meeting talked about how it became easier, how they are doing yoga, dancing, taking care of themselves, how they have come out of this state. This is magic."
Currently, the project looks like:
- conducted 83 support meetings;
- 242 women received assistance (including online consultations).
The participants of the support groups note that "participation in support groups is an invaluable experience."
"The work of psychologists is extremely important. It is worth taking advantage of it whenever possible", comments Anna, who, thanks to the support group, learned to assert her boundaries and cope with difficult situations.
"I was indifferent to everything, just wanted to cry. Happy men walking on the streets, stories of men who left... It was very painful to see couples on the street... I started looking for groups on the internet. Clicked on the first link, read it, and realized that this is exactly what I need. Such a group is about me and for me. I filled out the form and immediately signed up for the next group session," says Yevgenia, who found support and the strength to receive it.
"The first meeting of the group was quite interesting: we were asked to prepare tea and a blanket. I immediately felt comfortable, I felt like we were all one. It was quite easy to open up, each of us could share as much as we wanted about ourselves. I just let everything out. I felt that I would be understood here. I just felt relieved after talking about it and being heard. Then I eagerly awaited the second meeting. At one of the meetings, we practiced anxiety reduction techniques, as if it was nothing complicated, but it worked. We also had a chat for communication, and there was even an idea to meet up later," comments Yulia, who, thanks to the support group, began to give herself the right to rest.
Service for Psychosocial Support of Military Families continues its work. If needed, any woman from the families of militaries who requires counseling or seeks emotional support can contact the hotline at 0 800 332 720 or fill out the form for help on the website: https://www.pidtrymka.in.ua/
The initiative to support wives and mothers of Ukrainian defenders is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with the Ukrainian Center of Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). The contents are the responsibility of ISAR Ednannia and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
