With the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, a huge number of people were forced to leave their homes and move to safer cities. The Dnieper has become a huge outpost that receives and helps internally displaced persons. This is where a large center was created, where women, children and retirees can stay for a while to “breathe".

In the hub, migrants can warm up, eat and spend the night. To do this, the building was equipped with a large area by the authorities and concerned citizens. There is a dining room with delicious hot lunches, a sleeping area with clean linen and a large play area for children. There is a special room for babies and their mothers with changing tables, diapers, baby food and strollers that can be rented for a while. All this is available to people absolutely free.

On average, the center receives about 500-1000 people per day. Often they arrive by evacuation trains and buses at night and stay there at least until the morning. Then the migrants either continue their journey to Ukraine or find housing in the Dnieper and the region with the help of those who care.

Volunteers say that the “geography" of people who have already visited the headquarters is very wide. In the first days there were many people from Dnipro, Kharkiv, Sumy, Kyiv, now they are residents of Luhansk, Lysychansk, Belozersky, Rubizhne, Popasna.

“I have been helping here since the first day of the center’s work, February 27. Together with colleagues who were teachers, educators, psychologists in the pre-war period, we try to make children’s leisure time calm and carefree. We invite them to join our exhibition of drawings. Another great encouragement is that we encourage them to come back here, find their job and memorize it when it’s over. Teachers who organize various interesting master classes also often come to us. They are very popular among children. “

, – the volunteer Victoria told.

One of the visitors to the center was Valentyna Mykhailivna, who managed to evacuate from the town of Popasne in the Luhansk region. She fled the shelling in slippers and a dressing gown and reached the Dnieper.

“It hurts me to remember that there is not a single surviving house left in my hometown. When it’s all over, I’ll have nowhere to go because my house burned down. But what bothers me the most is the thought that my cats and dogs have stayed there. I couldn’t save them, it breaks my heart from within.
All my valuables, documents, money, cards and phone remained in the lodge near the house, so I lost everything while running away. I hope that when we arrive at the refugee reception area, they will help me to restore my SIM card. Then I will be able to call my family and let them know that I am alive. “

, – she said.