Earlier this year in March, Ihor approached Depaul Ukraine Street Outreach project in Odessa and asked us for help.

Ihor is 61 years old and has a wife and daughter, but due to a disagreement with his relatives they lost their house a few years ago. Since then, the family have temporarily rented an apartment in Lviv while Ihor worked as a storekeeper at a metal warehouse. However, just before the quarantine measures were implemented, the owner fired Ihor from his job, and Ihor, at the suggestion of his friend, took his family and went to Odessa in search of a better life.

Upon arrival in Odessa, quarantine measures had started to take effect and the situation in the labour market significantly worsened. Ihor and his wife could not find a job and they had no way of returning to Lviv as all transport to the region had been stopped. As such, Ihor had no work, no housing, and no means of subsistence. He settled his wife and daughter into his friend’s apartment but there was not enough room for him too. Instead, he spent two nights sleeping in the doorway of the house.

Recognising the urgency of Ihor’s situation, we offered him a place in our shelter. Within just a few days, we had managed to help Ihor find a job through one of our partners. In this short, Ihor’s situation has been transformed. Currently, he not only has the ability to buy food for himself, but also to buy food for and support his wife and daughter who are still without work and do not have a means of subsistence. Ihor plans to save some money to rent a small apartment for his family so that they can all be together again. We will continue to help and support Ihor and his family during this time until they have overcome their difficulties.

Source: Vincentian Family Homeless Alliance