Many thanks to everyone who has supported the Kuzmin family! The family currently (January 2015) receives some state help and their child is also provided with insulin by the state programme. We hope that the life of this family will soon become better.

Yuri and Iana Kuzmin were born and lived all their lives in the town of Zolotoye, in the Luhansk region. After the beginning of the war in the Donbass the family tried as best as they could to make ends meet, but it was getting more and more difficult to do so. In the summer of 2014, any federal payments for small children were stopped, the mine where Yuri worked as a tunneler stopped operating, and salary was no longer paid. The schools and daycare facilities closed. The prices - in the few grocery stores which stayed open - became exorbitant; a loaf of bread cost up to 14 Hryvnias (0, 85 US dollars)! Beginning in August 2014, the town was constantly under fire, because it happened to be in the buffer zone, under partial control of the Ukrainian army. The Kuzmins had to hide in the cellar with their children; their life became one of fear and uncertainty.

At last, the family decided to leave their home. Leaving turned out to be not such a simple matter - the seats on the mini-bus had to be reserved a week ahead. Taking only the absolute necessities, on November 14, 2014, the Kuzmins left the war zone. At 23.00 that day, the parents with their three children arrived at the Zaporozhzhye train station. Zaporozhzhye does not lack kind people: the man with whom they struck up a conversation at the train station let the entire family stay at his place for 5 days! Yuri and Iana spent these 5 days looking for an apartment. Many apartment owners either refused to rent, or asked a much higher price only because the family came from the Donbass. Finally, on November 19, the Kuzmins were able to rent a one-bedroom apartment on Pavlo-Kichkas for 1,300 Hryvnias (79 US dollars) a month, paying their last remaining money for it.

And now, we'd like to talk about their children in more detail.

The youngest, Sophia, is just 2 years old. She's a very serious little girl, but we hope that in a more peaceful environment she will become more cheerful.

Dima is 4 years old, he is also serious.

Julia is 6 years old, and this year she was supposed to start school, but war disrupted these plans. Julia has a serious health problem - she has diabetes, and because of disruption of supplies, she hasn't gotten any insulin since July. At this time, her parents are trying to sign her up to receive free insulin in the Zaporozhzhye region's children's hospitals. But overall, Julia is a sweet and intelligent child.

Yuri has applied to the employment center and is trying to find a job, whatever kind is available. The family hasn't received their payments for the previous months, and the federal aid for the displaced persons is supposed to be paid in January. And meanwhile, this young family doesn't have the means to pay for basic foodstuffs (we'd provided them with some grains, but they have no potatoes, milk, etc.), soap and laundry detergent, clothing and shoes, and rent.

Those who want to help can get in touch with this family at this number +38 063 98 45 175 (Iana) or +38 (095) 046 68 36 (Yuri)

You can also donate specifically to this family without getting up from your desk -

The staff of our foundation are always happy to answer any questions you might have.