Nadiya Vasylieva: A Journey from Conflict to Calm
Name: Nadiya Vasylieva
Age: 70
Hometown: Avdiivka, Donetsk Region, Ukraine

The war arrived in Avdiivka like an unwelcome storm, tearing apart the life Nadiya had carefully built over decades. On April 2, 2022, she was forced to leave her home — her apartment and private house reduced to rubble, another casualty of the relentless conflict.

Her evacuation was a testament to survival and community support. The local factory where she had likely spent years of her life became her lifeline, helping her escape the dangerous war zone. Her first refuge was a children’s camp in Dnipropetrovsk region — a temporary shelter that marked the beginning of her long journey of displacement.

The road did not end there. Nadiya moved from the Dnipropetrovsk region to Cherkasy Oblast, then to Kyiv, each location a temporary stop in her uncertain world. Each move was a challenge for a 70-year-old woman, each new place a reminder of the home she had lost.

Then came January, and with it, an unexpected turn of fortune. The Miracle Village in Kolonshchyna became her new home — a place that would redefine her understanding of peace and community.

Life in the Miracle Village was a stark contrast to her previous years of uncertainty. For the first time since the war began, Nadiya found calm. The constant anxiety that had been her companion through months of displacement began to fade. She discovered a community of neighbors who understood her experiences, volunteers who provided support, and a sense of belonging she had thought was lost forever.

Her days now had a new purpose. Though retired, Nadiya found meaning in volunteer work, continuing to contribute to her community even in these challenging times. The destroyed homes she left behind in Avdiivka were more than just physical structures — they were memories, history, a life interrupted. Yet, in the Miracle Village, she was writing a new chapter.

Nadiya’s story is more than just a tale of survival. It’s a testament to the resilience of Ukraine’s displaced people — those who have lost everything but found the strength to rebuild, to hope, to live again. In the Miracle Village, she discovered more than just a new home. She found peace, community, and a renewed sense of purpose.

A journey of resilience, hope, and the unbreakable human spirit.