Valerii’s story - a letter from a Ukrainian surveyor
Like so many chartered surveyors, Valerii had a busy life, running his own business and supporting a family with two small children.
But their lives would change forever when war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022. Within a few days, the family’s home in an apartment block in Kyiv was hit in a rocket attack and completely destroyed, forcing them to flee with very few possessions.
After a month of travelling, Valerii and his family settled in a European country, securing temporary accommodation. LionHeart paid an initial emergency grant to help, and then provided an ongoing monthly financial grant and employment support for Valerii as he looked to restart his surveying career in a new country.
A recent letter of thanks sent to LionHeart read: “From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of my family, I want to thank the entire LionHeart team for your support during such a difficult time for all of us. These first one and a half years in a new country have not been easy, as is the case for any family of forced emigrants.
“We've walked a long path of cooperation together. Your financial assistance allowed us to provide for the most basic needs of my family during this initial period and helped create a foundation for this new life. Thanks to your support, my sons have successfully integrated here without major everyday challenges.”
“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to your colleagues - their quick responses and valuable information were crucial for us in understanding our situation at the time.”
Valerii said the employment support provided by LionHeart’s partners at Renovo was particularly useful as he looked to adapt to professional life in a new country, with one to one mentoring offered to help ease this transition.
His letter concluded: “We all pray for the swift end of the war in my homeland, Ukraine, and for the arrival of peace. Unfortunately, the fighting continues, and life in Ukrainian cities remains unsafe. However, dealing with challenges for our family in a new country has become much easier thanks to you.
“Time flies, times change, but human support and help during the hardest periods of our lives will never be forgotten!”
Picture posed by a model
