She Fled Ukraine Alone With Her Two Daughters

Dear friends, like so many others, Anastasiia fled Ukraine when the war began. Leaving her homeland was one of the hardest decisions she and her family have ever faced. The young mom set out for Germany alone with her two daughters, while her husband stayed behind. Here is her story.

“February 24, 2022, is the worst date in our family's life. Early that morning, we learned that the war had begun. Within the first hours, we could already hear explosions, and the life we knew changed from one moment to the next.

We stayed in Ukraine for a few more days, hoping it would all be over soon. But after a night spent in the basement with my children during an air raid alarm, I knew I didn't want my girls to live like this. So I made one of the hardest decisions of my life: to leave Ukraine.

My husband drove us to the border, and from there I traveled on my own with two children, through several European countries. We finally arrived in Germany, in the town of Blomberg. Why Blomberg? A good friend of mine from Zaporizhzhia has lived there for many years. We used to play handball together, and we always stayed in touch. When the war started, she told me right away: ‘Come stay with me, you're not alone here.’

Her support gave me the strength to take that step and start over in Germany. Of course I was scared. But my biggest worry wasn't for myself. It was for my children and for my loved ones who stayed behind in Ukraine. In the first weeks of the war, it was devastating to watch what was happening to my homeland.

Fleeing Ukraine

Every day we heard about cities in ruins and people who had lost their lives. The news about children who had been killed was especially painful. As a mother, I knew I had to do everything I could to protect my daughters. When I left Ukraine, I didn't think I'd be gone for long.

Just the opposite. I was convinced I was only going to my friend's for a few weeks. I packed one suitcase with the most important things, hoping to be back home soon. I believed the war would be over quickly. In front of me was a completely unknown future: a new country, a new language, a new life. But my fear of the unknown was smaller than my need to keep my children safe. I was simply trying to save my kids.

I had no idea back then that this journey would be the start of a whole new chapter, or that Germany would become a second home for us for many years. No, definitely not. If someone had told me five years ago that a war would break out in the middle of Europe and I'd have to leave my home, I would never have believed it.

Five years ago, I was living a normal, happy life. I was raising my kids, making plans for the future, working, and dreaming a lot of dreams. To me, events like this belonged in history books, not in our modern world. That's why the war was such a huge shock, for me and for millions of Ukrainians.

Nobody is prepared to leave their home one day and start over in another country. The first days in Germany, and honestly even the whole first year, felt like a fog. We lived in constant hope that the war would end soon and we could go home.

For many months, my younger daughter woke up almost every morning with the same question: ‘Mommy, is the war over?’ That question says a lot about how we felt back then. We didn't make any long-term plans. We just waited.

THANK YOU, Germany!

Today I can say thank you to Germany from the bottom of my heart. This country helped us and many other Ukrainian families during a very hard time. I'm especially grateful to the people we got to know here. Their kindness, their support, and their willingness to help allowed us to build a new life. Sometimes I feel like these people came into our lives at exactly the right moment.

So when I talk about Germany and its people, I can only speak with great gratitude and warmth. Yes, absolutely. The most beautiful and positive thing in these past years has been watching my children be happy again, grow, and shape their own futures.

When we arrived in Germany, everything was new and uncertain. But step by step, we managed to build a new life. Today my kids go to school, play sports, and feel at home. I'm so proud of my daughters. My older daughter has successfully finished elementary school and is moving on to middle school. Both girls swim and have already won their first athletic awards. My older daughter also plays handball, and her team won the regional championship.

But the biggest gift for me isn't medals or report card grades. What matters most is that I found the courage to start over again, and that I was able to give my children a happy childhood, safety, and confidence in the future. That's what I'm proudest of.

My life is much calmer and more stable now than it was in the first years after I arrived in Germany. I've been working at a preschool for four years now. It brings me so much joy to walk alongside children and watch them grow, learn, and discover the world. I devote a big part of my free time to my daughters, their school, their hobbies, and their sports. It's important to me to support them and be there for them.

There's another project that's close to my heart: my children's book. Alongside my job, I'm trying to get the word out about it and reach as many people as I can. I don't have a big German-speaking readership yet, but I hope this story will find readers in many countries.

This book grew out of my own experiences and beliefs. I want it to remind kids and adults how beautiful the real world around us is, how important it is to spend time together, and how valuable the things are that money can't buy.

So my days are now filled with my work, my family, my book, and the hope that this story can touch other people too. My children's book tells the story of a girl named Margarita who, like a lot of kids today, spends a great deal of time on her phone.

One morning, something incredible happens: when she wakes up, she's suddenly inside her phone. But the world she's landed in is nothing like what she imagined. It's black and white, almost without color. There, Margarita meets her faithful companion, a little dog named @. Together they set off on an exciting journey through the world inside the phone. To get back home, Margarita has to find all the colors of the rainbow and make this world colorful again.

Along the way, she has lots of adventures, meets new friends, and learns important things about the world and about herself. Step by step, she collects the colors of the rainbow, because only when the rainbow is complete can she find her way back home.

If I could give parents one piece of advice, it would be simple: Cherish the time you have today. We live in a wonderful world full of colors, sounds, feelings, and real connections. But in our daily lives, and in front of our screens, we often forget to notice that beauty. We think the important moments will come someday, when life is happening right now.

That's exactly why I wrote this book. It isn't just for kids, but for grown-ups too. I hope parents and children will read it together and remember how important it is to put the phone down once in a while, look at the sky, listen to the birds, go for a walk, talk to each other, and simply spend time together.

The war showed me how fragile life is

The war taught me a lot. It showed me how fragile life is and how quickly the world we know can change. Because of that, I understand now that things and achievements aren't what matter most. The people we love do, and so does the time we spend together and the small happy moments of everyday life.

So here is my most important piece of advice: Don't put life off until later. Notice the beauty around you, spend time with the people you love, and hold on to the moments that will one day become your most treasured memories. Before I close, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your questions, your interest in my story, and your willingness to support me.

For me, as an aspiring author, every bit of support means a great deal. I'd be so happy if you would introduce me to your followers or share my Instagram page. Maybe it's people like you who will become my book's first readers. I really hope my book will be out soon. And when it is, I'd love to give you one of the first copies as a thank-you.

I believe that books can change the world. Maybe not all at once, but step by step. With my book, I want to remind kids and adults of what really matters: family, friendship, time together, the beauty of our world, and how important it is to live in the here and now.

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to share my story and my dream with you.”