Viktoriia Ilkovych is the deputy head of the settlement of Dovbysh. She has been volunteering since 2014. In 2022, from the very first minutes of the full-scale war, she organized checkpoints, provided assistance, and welcomed displaced people. The first refugees were families from Irpin — among them a newborn child. In a short time, the community accepted more than one and a half thousand people! 

One of the first was a family from Irpin with two children. The boy was six years old. He stood silently next to his mother, looking at the floor. He was wearing two different shoes. They had fled in haste, grabbing whatever came to hand. The boy’s sister was only a few days old. 

The community helped both the displaced and the defenders. Some provided transport, some found places for people to stay, some brought supplies from abroad. Viktoriia coordinated, offering her shoulder. There was a sense that stopping was impossible.

One of the important sources of support became the choir “Nadvechir’ia” — a local ensemble that performed for the soldiers. Their singing was received by the soldiers as something deeply personal — a reminder of home. The ensemble continues to perform, to donate, and to uphold the spirit of the community.