Hub for people displaced from Bakhmut opens in Ukraine's central city of Kryvyi Rih
Photo: Suspilne Dnipro
A support center, "With Bakhmut in Heart," was opened for displaced people from the eastern city of Bakhmut, which the Ukrainian defenders have courageously defended from Russian aggressors for over nine months.
Rubryka reports, referring to Suspilne, that the hub opened in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region, the neighbor of the Donetsk region that has accepted internally displaced persons (IDPs) since 2014.
What is the problem?
Hundreds of Ukrainians who had their cozy homes in Bakhmut and lost them were forced to flee from Russian shelling to other regions. The Russian army uses "scorched earth" tactics in the city, destroying the entire infrastructure.
Olena was born and lived in Bakhmut. She came to Kryvyi Rih together with her family last November. The woman says that she left her hometown when it was no longer possible to live there due to constant shelling by the Russian army.
"The first strike [on our house] was after my birthday, on September 24. It killed our beloved dog and destroyed half of the yard. We moved to the basement where we lived until November," says Olena, an IDP from Bakhmut. "We lived in the basement for three months. We had a strike, a direct hit in the basement. We saw a photo of the bulldozer passing by. There is nothing there anymore. We have nowhere to live."
What is the solution?
Hundreds of Donetsk residents found refuge in Kryvyi Rih. Here, the "With Bakhmut in the Heart" support center for displaced people from the long-suffering city of Donetsk was opened to help the residents of the war-torn city.
Olena learned about the support center "With Bakhmut in the Heart" through acquaintances and registered to receive help. This is already the eighth such center in Ukraine.
How does it work?
The hub was opened in March in one of the local libraries. It provides humanitarian aid and holds various activities for children, including educational ones. Currently, 940 IDPs, including 250 children, are registered in the hub.
Photo: Suspilne Dnipro
"The library is big, and we have a lot of room," says the director of the children's library Natalia Stepura. "Another important thing was having a bomb shelter nearby and a high-speed tram station. After considering all these pros and cons, we decided this was a convenient and safe place."
Photo: Suspilne Dnipro
The hub has recently opened an educational center for schoolchildren. About fifteen children attend each class.
"Our goal is to assist the people of Bakhmut: humanitarian, psychological, and legal," says Maryna Pohorelova, manager of the "Kryvyi Rih. With Bakhmut in Heart" hub. "We wanted to unite the people of Bakhmut and provide support in other parts of Ukraine. They come here for various events. They met and did not even know their neighbors lived in Kryvyi Rih. Here they hug and kiss."
You can follow the support center through the "Kryvyi Rih, with Bakhmut in Heart" Telegram channel.
