We continue the column in which ADRA Ukraine introduces readers to stories of its employees every week.
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At the beginning of the war, Serhii and his family were in Dobropillia, Donetsk region, where they moved in 2014. Serhii remembers that he felt anxious only for the safety of his own children. He himself was not afraid because it was the second time he encountered the concept of “war”.
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“It wasn’t the first time I experienced these feelings, so the “act” mode immediately turned on. So, I went to fill up the car, buy food, arrange the basement and collect the packed bag,” says Serhii. A few days later, he began to actively help IDPs who came to their town from Volnovakha.
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The Kalinin family did not plan to go abroad and did not panic because “they had already experienced it and were prepared.”
But no one knew that this time everything would be different. When heavy shelling began, Serhii realized that it was necessary to save his children. For more than a month, they did not leave the basements and were on the verge of life and death every day.
Thus, the Kalinin family became internally displaced persons for the second time.
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In April, when hostilities broke out in their place and a general evacuation was announced, they moved to Poltava to stay with their relatives. They lived with them for a month, and then found a house for rent, which they are currently renting with another family.
Although Serhii can go abroad because he is a father of three children, he decided to stay and help the affected population as much as he can.
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He found out about ADRA organization by accident. Back in 2015, when he was engaged in humanitarian aid and helped internally displaced persons in Donetsk region, he met many representatives of this organization. Together they transported drinking water and hygiene means to areas without infrastructure.
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And in 2022, ADRA team was looking for a representative in Poltava — and Serhii became a Coordinator of food assistance in Poltava region. Thus, now Serhii has a job and can do charity work, which he loves very much.