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UKRAINE – Abandoned. That’s what Mariana felt her entire childhood. She cared for herself and her two siblings while their mother fought addiction to alcohol. Life as an orphaned teen in Ukraine began to feel like her permanent reality when her mother walked away—leaving them in the care of a grandmother.
At her grandmother’s house, Mariana felt safety, warmth, and love for the first time, but sadly, it was short-lived. Her grandmother tried her best, but caring for three children overwhelmed her. She made the difficult decision to send them to boarding school.
Restoring Hope for an Orphaned Teen in Ukraine
Mariana was crushed. On weekends and holidays, she rushed back and clung to her grandmother, but she couldn’t stay. She had no home—or a place she truly belonged—until you intervened with compassionate care.
The war in Ukraine left orphaned teenagers like Mariana vulnerable to dangers around every corner. But as an orphaned teen in Ukraine, Mariana wanted a better life. She dreamed of becoming a teacher so she could offer what she never had to others: a guiding hand. She enrolled in an education program at a university. She just needed a place to live in order to stay in school.
That’s where your love met Mariana and offered her more than she ever imagined. You gave her shelter and safety through a transitional home supported by our Orphan’s Promise Way to Life project. There, she found what she had been craving her entire life—a place to belong and call home.
Supporting Every Orphaned Teen in Ukraine
“When I came here, I was scared,” Mariana told us. “I was afraid that I would not be able to make friends with the other girls, that I would be compared to someone or judged.”
Instead, your kindness surrounded her with constant support from a loving team of mentors, who provided a peaceful place to study and helped her learn the skills every orphaned teen in Ukraine needs for independence—cooking, cleaning, and managing her finances. They even gave her something she’d never had before: a cake for her birthday.
“No one ever gave me anything,” Mariana said. “For me, it was a new world—a world where people support, hear, and respect each other.”
Today, Mariana feels prepared to start the next chapter of her journey—thanks to you. She will always carry with her the love and warmth from the only place she ever considered home.
