‘Thanks to the classes, I feel better’: the vital role of psychosocial support for Ukraine’s displaced people

Anna Didenko, head of the rehabilitation and support department of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (left), and Valentyna, who receives support from the organisation (right). Photograph: Oksana Parafeniuk/Mykhaylo Palinchak/Panos/British Red Cross; UCRC

When the conflict in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, Valentyna’s town in the easternmost Luhansk region was shelled several times and her home was destroyed. The 64-year-old reluctantly packed the few belongings she had left into a single sports bag and fled.

The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) helped Valentyna with supplies, giving her footwear and clothing. “All my clothes are from the URCS,” she says. “It was a relief when they helped.”