More than 3,700 people have found safe shelter at the facility run by the Charitable Foundation “Blago”.

“I’m not just satisfied — I’m deeply grateful that God has sent me such a blessing,” and “Here, we feel at home. We feel calm and safe. We are one big family” — these words carry special weight when you realize they are spoken by people who lost their homes because of the war.

Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 3,700 people have found safe shelter at the facility run by the Zakarpattia Regional Charitable Foundation “Blago,” says its head, Eleonora Kulchar. This shelter has offered them more than just a roof over their heads. Within these walls, children find peace, vulnerable women receive support, and there is a genuine sense of safety.

Thanks to a grant from Voice of Romni and funding from  Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the Blago Foundation was able to extend the shelter’s building lease for another two months. This period was critically important to complete the construction of their own facility for hosting vulnerable families fleeing the war from Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Dnipro, and other parts of Ukraine. Without this support, many people could have ended up on the streets.

Valentyna Churon, who lives in the shelter with her family, shares what life is like there:

“I’m from Izium in Kharkiv region. I left with my family. I have five children and a husband. We evacuated while free trains were still running. We got to Uzhhorod, and thanks to the volunteers, we were told about the Blago Foundation. They feed us three times a day. There’s a place to wash our clothes, a place to shower. They provide hygiene products, diapers. They give out underwear for free. I like it here. Honestly, I would never leave Ukraine. Ukraine is my home.”

In addition to covering rent, the grant also enabled the Blago Foundation to strengthen its institutional capacity by improving internal policies, ensuring greater transparency, and advancing strategic communications. Eleonora Kulchar, the head of Blago, shares that the foundation was able to purchase accounting software, hire a communications manager, and develop its own brand book. These are all important steps toward the growth and sustainability of an organization that has been supporting Roma families, children, and displaced people for many years.

Thanks to the safe space, people are once again able to believe in a better future. Each of them carries their own story of pain, but here — surrounded by care — they find the strength to live again.

“I have two small children, my mother, and sisters. Here, everything is convenient, comfortable, and peaceful for the children. We work with psychologists, and it really helps — it makes things easier. We’ve finally started to move past that constant ‘boom’ echoing in our heads,” shares Olena Ruban from Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk region.

At Voice of Romni, we are genuinely proud to support and strengthen Roma civil society organizations. This is one of the key pillars of our work — helping to build strong and united communities.