Ivan Zalohin was born in Luhansk, where, whilst still a teenager, he lived through his first russian occupation from 2014 to 2016. He witnessed the destruction of Ukrainian books and the aggressive imposition of enemy propaganda. His family later moved to Bucha. However, in 2022, war caught up with the young man once again – he found himself at the epicentre of a full-scale invasion of the Kyiv region. The russians turned his flat into a “hospital” and ransacked it.  

Yet Ivan has transformed his dual traumatic experience into a powerful mission. He devotes his time to creating cultural, artistic and social projects. To be a voice for those who have lost their homes. Ivan helps teenagers from the occupied territories to overcome the effects of PTSD, find a new community, shake off the stigma of being “displaced persons” and build a future with confidence.