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Stories that you confided to us

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Zinaida Lestnikova

"I hope for the best – I want to raise my grandchildren"

views: 1250

Son died of a strike in 2014. The children stayed with me. He loved them all very much. They suffered the loss of their father very hard. Dasha cried a lot. As it was... it was hard for me. While my eldest grandson was still here, he supported me. He rarely comes to visit us, because he has his own family.

I hope for the best – I want to raise my grandchildren

He needs to provide for them. The older son was already 17 years old. My pension (UAH 1,400) simply doesn't cut it. I just couldn't provide for three grandchildren. I just didn't have money. I worked at Azovmash PJSC. I went to work there after I retired. I worked here on the railway as a station attendant for 36 years. And when I retired, I worked at an oil depot. Then I got a job at a factory.

I hope for the best – I want to raise my grandchildren

Well, I'm managing for now. My neighbors help me. They are very nice. My friends also everything they can. We try to keep together. We are trying our best.

I hope for the best – I want to raise my grandchildren

I went through this stress and all the bombings. They were hiding when they were bombed Lenina Street in 2014. We stayed in basements. I just can't convey how I felt. It was so stressful. We tried to pull ourselves together.

When our street was bombed, the children were in Cherkasy. They were lucky. The didn't witness it. Only then they called us and said, "Did they shoot here?" I didn't tell them right away. We told them later.

I went to Mariupol and then came here. It started when I got home. We went down to the basement and sat there.

All I'll say is that the children are trying their best. They can all warm up some food. They help around the house. You know, some regular duties they need to follow. Unquestioningly.

I hope for the best – I want to raise my grandchildren

I hope for the best. We would like to do some repairs and give good eduction for the children. That is pretty much it. I wish they grew up and become well-respected people. I wish they were honourable people. I've worked all my life, and no one said anything bad about me. I have worked for 36 years. Well, I wish they as hard-working as me.

When quoting a story, a reference to the source – the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation – is mandatory, as follows:

The Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/

Rinat Akhmetov Foundation Civilian Voices Museum
Andriyivka 2014 2018 Video Civilian's stories pensioners children 2014 shelling safety and life support single parent families families with two or more children elderly (60+)
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