Alina Bolhova: A Journey of Survival and Renewal
Name: Alina Bolhova
Age: 78
Hometown: Kherson, Ukraine

Before the war, Alina Bolhova’s life was whole — a family, a private home, a sense of stability that comes from years of shared memories. But war has a way of unraveling even the most carefully woven lives, and Alina’s world was no exception.

As conflict descended upon Kherson, Alina found herself alone. Her family scattered, her home reduced to rubble, she became one of the thousands of elderly Ukrainians forced to navigate a world turned upside down. On October 19, 2023, she left her destroyed home, carrying nothing but memories and hope.

Kyiv became her first refuge, a temporary shelter with acquaintances. Each move was a testament to her resilience — a 78-year-old woman navigating the chaos of displacement, finding strength she might not have known she possessed.

Then came the announcement that would change everything — an opportunity for housing through the Miracle Village project. Alina filled out the application, perhaps with a mixture of hope and hesitation, never fully expecting the lifeline that was about to be thrown her way.

“Life began again from zero,” Alina would later say — and in the Miracle Village, zero became a new beginning.

The support was comprehensive and compassionate. Free housing replaced her destroyed home. Medical services addressed her health concerns. Psychological support helped her process the trauma of displacement. Material assistance provided the basic necessities she had lost.

At 78, Alina might have expected to simply survive. Instead, she found a way to live again. Unable to work due to her health, she found value in the community, in the small kindnesses that make life worth living.

Her story is more than just a tale of displacement. It’s a powerful testament to the resilience of Ukraine’s elderly — those who have lost everything but found the strength to begin again. The Miracle Village was not just a place to live, but a symbol of hope, of renewal, of the unbreakable human spirit.

A narrative of survival, compassion, and the ability to rebuild even when all seems lost.