Kyrylo Haryaha, 16 years old.

Izium Lyceum No. 11.

The teacher who inspired the essay was Natalia Valeriivna Reva.

‘The event that changed everything. The Power of Help."

Every resident of Izium who stayed in the city during the occupation experienced true hell. Our lives were divided into 'BEFORE' and 'AFTER'.

March 2022. There was no electricity, gas, water or communication.

"Constant explosions. A damp, cold basement. Always hungry. You sleep in your jacket, boots, and hat under two blankets, and you’re still cold."

We ground wheat on a manual meat grinder to make porridge and flour to feed ourselves, our three cats, and the neighbor’s dog. The tastiest meal of the day was a flatbread fried over the campfire with jam. After two months of hunger, the greatest delights were the first humanitarian bread in May, canned stew, and pasta. This is not a scene from a documentary about the Holodomor of 1932–33; it is our reality today in the 21st century.

“While some Ukrainians watched the events unfold on TV screens and online, we saw it all with our own eyes and couldn’t believe it was happening to us”.

Some people were able to leave the city, but we didn’t know where to go. Until the very end, we couldn’t believe that something like this could happen in our time. Eleven years ago, we had already fled our home once before. Now, it has happened again.

Amidst all the chaos of 2022, the only support I had was my mother’s care, thanks to which I am now back home with her.

In August 2022, other children and I were sent to Gelendzhik in Krasnodar Krai for “rest and recovery.” However, in September, we were informed that we would not be returning home as the city of Izium had been liberated. We were moved to Anapa. Some children were picked up by their parents and taken home, but my brother and I were left on the other side of the border, uncertain of what would happen next.

"I was very scared. I missed my mum terribly and was worried about her. There was no connection in Izium. I couldn’t even call her or talk to her."

On 4 November, for the first time in several months, I was able to hug her. This was the day after my birthday, which I had spent away from home for the first time in my life. My mum came to pick up my brother and me and take us home.

I later learned that, after Izium was liberated, my mum had been taken in for questioning and stayed there for 18 days. When she was released, she found a way to come and get us and didn’t hesitate to travel all across Europe to bring my brother and me back home.

“Despite having no means to survive for six months and no food to feed us, she still found a way to bring us back. We arrived home on 18 November. We left for three weeks but ended up staying for three months”. 

Recalling those events, which I would rather forget, I realised that no one in the world will care for or protect me as much as my mother does. She tried to feed my brother and me during the occupation of our city. I believe she is innocent for trying to survive and feed us. No one who hasn’t experienced what we have will ever understand. I wouldn’t wish what we went through on anyone.

I am currently in the ninth grade. I dream of becoming a Special Forces soldier so that I can fight injustice and help people in extremely difficult situations. I believe I am similar to my mum because she has always been kind, fair, and helpful to everyone. Even during the hardest of times, she never gave up and always found a way out of difficult situations. Her strength inspires and motivates me, no matter what. No matter how hard or scary things were for her, she never showed it. On the contrary, she always supported and encouraged me.

After everything she has been through, my mum has changed. She smiles less often and is more prone to illness. It is therefore my duty to support her, help her, and protect her, just as she always did for me. My brother is currently studying and rarely comes home. I’m the only one here. I understand that it is only with the support of loved ones that you can find the strength to carry on living.

“The war will end someday. I hope it will be soon, as I’m really tired of the wailing sirens and nearby explosions. It feels like terrible déjà vu. I’ll never forget how we slept in the basement after the city was bombed on 3 March 2022. I was so happy to return to sleeping in my own bed on 16 July”.

I really don’t want to go back down into that damp, dark pit.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak out and for all your hard work!

I wish you all (and us too) only peace; everything else can be earned!

With respect,
Kyrylo Haryaha!