Refugee stories: Iryna prevails with the power of community

Iryna had begun to worry that her dear Ukraine – ravaged by the ongoing Russian invasion launched early in 2022 – was not the best place to raise her child. “I couldn’t see a future for my daughter in that country,” she said. “Lots of missiles, bomb-shells, and my daughter was afraid of that sound.” 

The reality of fleeing the country she loves with her daughter presented obvious challenges. It meant leaving behind friends, family, and her job as a self-employed language instructor. Plus, there was the reality that her husband would need to stay behind – at least initially. “He didn’t even have an idea of when we could come back,” she said. “But he said that this is the right decision because you will be safe.” 

After leaving Ukraine, Iryna and her daughter spent time in Germany and Canada before finally landing in Columbus, where they reunited with Iryna’s husband. It was a trying stretch, but Iryna tried to find positives, embracing it as a potentially transformative adventure for her daughter. “She could open herself. She was shy. She was very shy,” Irnya said. “And in Canada she just started to communicate with all people. She wasn’t shy like before. So it was a good opportunity for her to be like a new person.” 

In Canada, Iryna and her daughter felt the distance between themselves and their loved ones acutely, and Iryna said her daughter, in particular, struggled without her dad. “She was at school and she asked me, ‘Why all kids have father and I don’t have father here? What happened?’” Iryna said. 

Gradually, mother and daughter began to carve out a home away from home. In Canada, Iryna started a job at Magnet Shoes – a marked departure from her previous work as a college instructor, a border guard, and a language instructor. “It was a good experience for me because … I am very happy to communicate with people to help people,” she said. 

The two also met another Ukrainian family who are now like family. “They helped me not to be alone,” Iryna said. “They have five kids, so my daughter can play with them. And she was very excited because they spoke Ukrainian.” 

This family is also part of the reason Iryna and her husband decided to reunite in Columbus. After relocating from Canada to the United States, the family urged Iryna to follow, telling her, “We would like to see you here,” she said.

In Columbus, Iryna found a robust Ukrainian community. “I think the first day, all Ukrainians asked what we needed,” she said. “They helped us a lot with everything. With pieces of advice, with furniture, with everything. Even with food if we needed it.”

This community also helps Iryna and her family stay in touch with their Ukrainian roots. “We have a good history, good traditions. It is important to me that [my daughter] shouldn’t forget everything,” said Iryna, who continues to serve traditional Ukrainian dishes, such as borscht, and to celebrate Ukrainian holidays.

Iryna hopes sharing her experiences will have a positive impact on those who read about them. “I think that if my story helps anybody to believe in themselves, to believe in the power of help, of other people, [and] to not be scared of changes in their life, I think I am making a good thing here,” she said. “We shouldn’t forget that we are first of all people, and we should help each other.” 

This is one in a series of stories collected for a project that was funded by the Baker-Nord Center for Humanities, the Case Western Reserve University Department of English, and supported by both the United States Committee for Refugees office in Cleveland and the Community Refugee and Immigration Services in Columbus.