Dmitry (7) Is Finding His Voice Again
Photo: Michael Jessurun | Untold Stories ©
The sounds of war
Shortly after the first missiles hit, Dmitry feels the grasp of his mother’s hands. They run to the nearest bomb shelter and don’t come out until days later.
“I thought the bombing was far away”, says Dmitry. “But when we crawled out of the shelter, and walked home, I saw where the bombs had fallen on the way. There were big holes where houses used to be.”
Dmitry lives with his parents in a flat in Chernihiv, a city in northern Ukraine. It was one of the first places to be targeted when the war started. He now knows what no child should know: what war sounds like. Air raid sirens, rockets, screams - and deadly silences.
Deep scars
The war has left deep scars in Chernihiv. More than 80% of the schools and children’s centres have been destroyed. “For children, schools are centres of stability”, says Maryna, one of the psychologists at our “Safe Space” in the city. “When a school is bombed, it is extremely traumatic. That safety and security is stripped away from them.”
Dmitry is often frightened when the air raid siren goes off, his mother says. “I try to reassure him, but how do you do that if you’re not really safe anywhere?”
Maryna adds: “Like almost all children here, Dmitry suffers from anxiety. As a result, he’s also having difficulties with speech. He is terrified that something will happen to his family and friends. Many have a parent who fights on the frontline. Almost all the children here have lost someone.”
War, even in dreamland
Every night, Dmitry ends up in his parents’ bed - after a nightmare. Even in dreamland, he is not safe. “Sometimes he tells me he’s had a bad dream, but most of the time he doesn’t share his fears with me”, says his mother.
“The other day, when we woke up in the morning, he asked: Mommy, will you stay with me forever?”
Returning to school
A few months back, Dmitry was finally able to return to school. In our “Safe Space”, he plays, learns and makes crafts with his friends. He also receives psychological support. Maryna: “Children get the chance to share their story here, in one-on-one as well as group sessions. We help them deal with fear, grief and loss. In addition to talking, we do a lot of art therapy. For example, children play with clay and sand. Being creative helps children come out of their shells. They learn that they can be themselves - make mistakes and still be accepted.”
Regaining his voice
In the afternoon, after school, Dmitry goes to see Miss Oleysa - his speech therapist. “He adores her”, says his mother.
“Oleysa and I talk about all kinds of things and do crafts together”, he says. “The other day we made a paper vase with flowers for my mum…
We joke a lot. She supports me.”
Dmitry’s mother sees a big difference compared to a few months ago: “The therapy sessions with the psychologist and the lessons with Oleysa do him a lot of good. Slowly but surely, he is finding his voice again.”
Impossible without love
As for her… “Despite everything, I try to stay positive”, she says.
“I could also get mental health support from War Child - there are special sessions for parents too. But I’m not ready yet. I’m in survival mode. Dmitry is my priority.”
