My name is Vadim. I’m from Ukraine and have been living in Romania for a year and a half.
When the war started, I sent my wife and son to England. They live there now. I wasn’t able to leave Ukraine. During the two years I spent trying to obtain official permission to leave the country, my wife and I got divorced.
I was living in Chernivtsi, near the border with Romania. And when I finally managed to leave, the first country I arrived in was Romania.
At first, I didn’t plan to stay. I traveled around the country, and when I arrived in Brașov, I really liked it here. I found a job and decided to settle down.
I had heard about Terre des Hommes many times, because it’s an organization that helps Ukrainians a lot. I heard about it from so many people. One day, I saw an announcement about a course on one of the Ukrainian groups. I signed up. After that, my relationship with the Terre des Hommes team became very close.
The second part was where I received help in understanding financial planning and education. This was very important to me. I have hobbies—I’m into astrology—and this knowledge gave me a new perspective on the things I was trying to develop in these areas. I understood why, in the past, some things didn’t work out for me.
Now I’m gradually starting to apply these things in my life, and I hope they’ll help me.
Today I work at a Ukrainian school in Brașov. I organize activities for children and manage social media. The knowledge I gained from the course helps me communicate with children in a different way. I better understand the structure and how I can communicate through a clear framework.
And this has made it possible for the students at our school to organize Terre des Hommes activities at our school themselves.
For me, this course wasn’t just about information. It was about clarity. And a new way to build, step by step, what comes next.
Vadim’s story is about courage, adaptation, and how the right support can open new paths even after the most difficult experiences.
Vadim was a participant in our project, RIF4UA - Scaling-up Integrated Services within Resilience and Innovation Facilities for Ukrainian Refugee Inclusion, funded through the Social Innovation+ Initiative. Our partners are Terre des Hommes - Hungary and the Du Development Agency
When we welcome those fleeing war with open arms, we are not just offering help, we are building a more united and inclusive community together.
Co-funded by the European Union. The opinions and views expressed belong solely to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the funding authority can be held responsible for them.
