HOME OF HOPE: How the Support Hub in Kharkiv Region Operates – A Volunteer’s Story
27 January 2025
“HOME OF HOPE”—that’s the name of the support hub in a village in the Bohodukhiv district of Kharkiv region. In the first year of the full-scale war, this shelter provided refuge to at least a thousand displaced people from Kharkiv. Shocked and terrified by the bombings, they found immediate relief: rest after the journey, water, food, and a comforting word.
“We encouraged them with songs and prayers, gave them food packages, and arranged for them to stay overnight with local families,” shares volunteer Serhii Tiurikov, who helped evacuate people from Kharkiv in March 2022.
Serhii transported people 80 km away from the war zone, often under fire. Before each trip, all five of his children would kneel together and chant in unison, “God, protect Dad on the road.” And God did. Despite all dangers, he always returned home with a dozen evacuees.
“One day, I got a call from people who couldn’t leave on their own. They had been without gas for a long time, without electricity for a week. That morning, their windows had been shattered by an explosion. They told me, ‘We are disabled, we can’t get out on our own. We heard you were helping—please evacuate us.’
As soon as I got them out, a missile hit that exact place the next day. It was in the Saltivka district of Kharkiv. Situations like this happened more than once.
I remember driving through ruins, power lines falling on my car roof, constant shelling in the background… I gained 50% of my gray hair during those evacuations,” Serhii recalls.
This transit shelter gave displaced people a crucial first 24 hours to recover from the initial shock of war.
From the hub, Serhii transported people to Poltava to reunite with relatives or took them to the train station. Some stayed in the village, requiring further support.
Due to limited facilities, the hub couldn’t accommodate people for more than a day, especially families with children—there was no kitchen or proper bathroom.
Over time, with efforts and personal funds from volunteers in Rivne, a bathroom and sanitation area were built.
The hub is heated by firewood. It has a reception hall for welcoming people and holding events. A small, comfortable room was set up for overnight stays, ideal for families with children.
“Right now, the hub is under renovation. Any funds we receive are spent on food aid for those in need. Unfortunately, construction and improvements have been put on hold,” Serhii explains.
Supporting Struggling Villages in Kharkiv Region
There are remote villages in the Kharkiv region where roads are impassable—where even off-road vehicles can only get so far, and the rest of the way must be walked. There’s no infrastructure, only abandoned houses with broken fences and windows covered in dirty plastic sheets. And yet, people still live there. In extreme poverty. In desperate need of help.
Volunteers from the Rivne region periodically travel to Kharkiv to help these people. For a month at a time, 8–10 volunteers stay at the hub, pack humanitarian aid, and distribute it across these struggling villages.
“We don’t know when the war will end,” says Serhii, “but my team from Rivne has already begun charitable work in these villages. Even after the war, volunteers will continue living at the hub, working to restore rural communities. Unfortunately, the number of war widows and people with disabilities is growing. Even if there’s no longer a need to house displaced people, the number of those in need will only increase. And our team needs proper living conditions to continue serving.”
Establishing HOME OF HOPE as a fully equipped hub is an urgent necessity—to provide essential aid for displaced people and volunteers dedicated to helping struggling villages.
The HOME OF HOPE hub is a place of warmth and comfort. A place where people find encouragement, not just in words, but in tangible care. A place where they can stay for an extended period. A shelter where displaced people can make thoughtful decisions about their next steps, and where volunteers can serve with renewed strength.
How You Can Help
To properly equip the HOME OF HOPE hub in the Kharkiv region, we urgently need:
Bathroom facilities:
- Shower faucet
- Urinal
Kitchen setup:
- Kitchen sink with faucet
- Kitchen furniture
- Electric stove
- Range hood
- Microwave oven
- Thermo pot
Total project cost: 90,000 UAH
Be a part of HOME OF HOPE! Your support is a step toward restoration!
Share this opportunity with your friends—every donation, even the price of a lunchbox, can bring hope to someone in need.
We sincerely thank you for your help!
We will provide full reports on all funds received and the impact we create together.
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