Heartache follows Ukrainian woman seeking refuge in Burlington home
Iryna Dychko believes it's easier to cope with sadness when you are surrounded by good people.
And she would know. It wasn't all that long ago that she was living the daily horror of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Three months ago, she fled her native country to seek refuge in Halton, first with a distant cousin in Oakville and now in a Burlington home.
The 34-year-old left everything behind in Zaporizhia, located close to the nuclear power plant now occupied by Russian forces, where her mother and brother remain. She is safe but traumatized by all she has witnessed. Although her family could not leave with her, the heartache and sorrow did.
I would like the war to stop. I feel a lot of pain for the people of Ukraine, especially the soldiers who are fighting in open spaces, feeling tired, cold and afraid and who may die. I want my family and friends to be safe. I hope that the children, wives, husbands, parents who have lost someone they love will be able to find some comfort."
Dychko's father died suddenly before the invasion. A car accident left her brother disabled, and although he can't fight, he helps in the war effort by repairing damaged vehicles and delivering food to soldiers, she said.
Every day her family hears the noise of the bombs and missiles, and the never-ending alarms warning people to take shelter underground, she said. Local streets, shops and buildings have been destroyed and the people are scared, stressed and sometimes hysterical from all the losses.
The power is off for hours at a time day and night and the family's generator doesn't always work, nor does the water pump when the electricity is off, she said.
Because they live in a house, her family has a fireplace but she worries for those in apartments who don't have that heat source, as winter sets in and the Russians continue to bomb power facilities. The only communication she has with her family is by phone and text, but only when there is electricity.
She has been working to improve her English with language courses offered by the Halton Multicultural Council, through which Burlington's Sandy Amodio found out about Dychko.
HMC also offers conversation circles and job search skills to help newcomers start a new life here, said Amodio.
Having worked in a large Ukrainian beauty store chain, she would like to remain in that industry or go back to school, but for now she has found employment in a Burlington factory.
The biggest challenge to finding employment has been her lack of job experience in Canada and her limited knowledge of English," said Amodio.
Many unskilled labour jobs pay minimum wage, which will make it difficult for her to find affordable accommodation closer to where she is working. Right now, she has to take two buses to and from work, and arrange other transportation when working the late night shift," said Amodio.
Dychko hopes to send some of her earnings home to support her family and Ukraine's war effort.
"It was a big stress to leave my home, but I tell myself that I must be strong. I must see it as a big experience in my life. I am sometimes feeling nervous and I am getting gray hairs now, but I feel safe here and feel very thankful for the people that are helping me in different ways. In these dark times it is so important to lend a helping hand."
In the brief time their paths have converged, her guest has taught her much, said Amodio.
Her courage to adapt, to learn a new language, to navigate a new country that is over-materialistic, to feel her own sadness and pain for her people is inspiring to me," said Amodio.
We have so much that we really take for granted, and she came here with just a suitcase. She is reminding me of what is truly important, that our focus should be more on helping each other and helping our planet."