Help keep the Ukrainian refugee center safe.

Dear Supporters,

We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your continued interest in and support for our work with people affected by the war in Ukraine.

We are pleased to share an update from Dnipro, eastern Ukraine, where we have been working to improve the living conditions of internally displaced people (IDPs), particularly older people and people with disabilities.

Many shelters in Dnipro are home to people displaced from areas near the front line. Older people and people with disabilities often face financial and other barriers to securing housing of their own. As a result, more than four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, many continue to live in shelters.

Making a shelter safer for older residents

At the Fourth Dormitory of Dnipropetrovsk State Medical University, which has served as a shelter since the beginning of the invasion, we renovated the shower and changing rooms.

Built in the 1970s as a student dormitory, the building had no handrails or sufficient space for wheelchair users. In 2025, part of the building was also damaged when a drone struck the facility, damaging the shower room’s windows, ceiling, and ventilation system.

We repaired the damage while making the facilities safer and more accessible. The shelter is home to residents over 90 years old, and according to the shelter manager, the renovated shower booths have enabled many older residents to bathe independently and with greater confidence.

Creating a space for rehabilitation, meals and connection

At a second shelter, the Dnipro Municipal Center for Social Adaptation “Ocean of Kindness,” we renovated part of the building to create a rehabilitation space and accessible toilets and showers.

We also converted an area next to the serving room into a dining hall. Previously, residents had to eat in their rooms, and meals often became cold before they could be served.

For residents who can move with a wheelchair, walker, or handrails, going to the dining hall is more than simply having a meal. The movement helps maintain physical strength and serves as part of their daily rehabilitation. The shared dining space also gives residents more opportunities to talk, spend time together, and maintain their emotional well-being.

Many of the older residents we spoke with told us that, despite understanding how difficult the situation remains, they still hope to return to their own homes one day.

Until that day comes, we hope these improvements will help them live with greater dignity and independence—caring for themselves, enjoying warm meals with others, and maintaining their physical and emotional well-being.

Thank you for standing with the people of Ukraine and for making this support possible.

With gratitude,

Natsuko
Coordinator
Peace Winds Korea

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