Disaster Response Ukraine Project #57320

Rebuilding Hope for Ukrainian families

by Soleterre - Strategie di pace Onlus

Project Report | May 29, 2023
Six Months of Safe Housing in Neslukhiv

By Cassie Pontone | Social Media Manager for the US

Lisa & her mother. Photo by Fabio Bucciarelli

Just over six months have passed since Casa Soleterre first opened its doors in Neslukhiv, Ukraine. After renovating this abandoned building into an apartment complex, Soleterre has made a great impact in the lives of many Ukrainian families struggling with forced relocation and illness. This new complex offers a safe place to live for 30 families completely free of charge with easy access to nearby hospitals.

With the arrival of Spring, however, Soleterre shifted its focus to another great need: Saint Nicholas Hospital in Lviv and young Ukrainians injured by Russian attacks. Here, there are countless children needing rehabilitation treatment and physical therapy after surviving the fallout from Russia’s bombing attacks. In our newest endeavor, Unbroken Kids, injured children will receive life saving medical treatments, including reconstructive surgery, orthopedics and custom robotic prosthetics, which will in turn rehabilitate their bodies and help to heal their spirits from the trauma of this war.

Unbroken Kids will also benefit from Soleterre’s network of partners, connecting those seeking treatment at Saint Nicholas Hospital and Casa Soleterre’s family shelter in Neslukhiv. This way, families may draw support from one another, growing stronger each day and quickening their recovery. Consider the story of Lisa.

Lisa comes from the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk. A hot spot on the frontlines, this area has sustained repeated, heavy bombings orchestrated by the Russians since the beginning of the war. One of these attacks led to the forced separation of Lisa’s family. Her father was brought to Dnipro by ambulance after sustaining multiple injuries while Lisa and her mother were evacuated to different hospitals in Lviv to treat their own wounds. Lisa suffered a spinal injury from shrapnel and a fractured leg.

Separated from her parents, Lisa’s recovery has not been easy. With the help of a hospital psychologist, Lisa slowly began to feel more comfortable and open up. After some time, with the permission from her doctors, Soleterre organized for mother and daughter to reunite. Eventually, Lisa’s father was also relocated from Dnipro to Lviv. Today, Lisa’s family is continuing their rehabilitation together. As the family continues their individualized treatments, Casa Soleterre in nearby Neslukhiv will be ready to welcome them.

Thanks to your generosity, Soleterre continues to provide support for children undergoing treatment for cancers or war-related injuries, offering them and their families the help they need. By donating to Casa Soleterre, you are helping to reunite families like Lisa’s and rebuild hope for their futures.

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Jan 31, 2023
Casa Soleterre is Now Open!

By Cassie Pontone | Social Media Manager for the US

During the construction of Casa Soleterre

Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, as of November 2022, more than 2,000 people have been displaced. 580 of those evacuees are children. Some of these individuals, fleeing from areas such as Donbass and other regions currently under attack, were fortunate enough to find refuge in the village of Neslukhiv, near Lviv.

Here they have found a local community that has welcomed them with open arms. Helping to provide food and necessities, the residents of Neslukhiv even offered refugee temporary housing within school buildings and empty apartments or houses. While immediately helpful as temporary solutions, these spaces were never equipped for long term stays. Enter Soleterre.

Together with our partners at the Zaporuka Foundation, we were able to repurpose an unused building within Neslukhiv and begin working on a long-term solution to the community’s housing crisis. Construction on the site began in summer of 2022 and within 5 months, we were ready to open—just in time for the arrival of winter. Thanks to our partners at the Zaporuka Foundation and contributions from the Rosa Pristina Foundation, the BNL Foundation and the Prosolidar Foundation, the building is now a home for families in need.

On November 20, 2022 Casa Soleterre officially opened its doors.

All the 30 apartments are autonomous, are furnished with necessary appliances and have access to communal outdoor spaces complete with playground slides and games for children. Furthermore, the building provides space to host its own clinic for medical visits and regular psychological sessions. Beyond providing a comfortable home, Casa Soleterre offers its residents economic, psychological and social assistance to help alleviate the trauma these families are facing.

At the time of its inauguration, we welcomed 100 individuals comprising roughly 30 families and including children diagnosed with cancer, disabled persons and elderly individuals who needed more than a roof over their heads. Today the shelter is hosting 75 people, including 25 children with 2 cancer patients among them.

While we celebrate this achievement, we know that the struggle for these families is far from over. With the arrival of winter, having a place to call home is an immense comfort, but it is not enough. As the war rages on, necessities are becoming more and more scarce throughout the country and the brutal cold is causing new needs. Soleterre continues to support the families of Neslukhiv, organizing to provide heaters, firewood, food, supplies and sustained psychological support to those already exhausted, traumatized and unprepared for winter’s cold.

We thank you for helping Soleterre to bring safety, stability and hope to the families seeking asylum in Neslukhiv. We hope you will continue to help us this winter in our goal to keep families in Ukraine warm and equipped with the necessary means to carry on.

One of the first families hosted

A family settling down at home

A Soleterre psychologist with a family

Casa Soleterre's playground

Casa Soleterre seen from outside

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