From Ruins to Revival: Nadiia’s Story

Born in the steppes of Kazakhstan during the Virgin Lands Campaign, Nadiia Shydlovska brought her pioneer spirit to Ukraine in the 1970s. After losing her husband in 2018, she lived quietly in Bohoiavlenka, Donetsk region, collecting milk from local farmers while her son served in the military.

By September 24, 2024, she was the last person on her street, with Russian forces just two kilometers from her village. During an air raid, an explosive detonated on her property. The blast left her concussed and buried beneath rubble for nearly two hours until volunteers pulled her from the wreckage, saving her life.

The Red Cross transported the injured 68-year-old to a hospital in Dobropillia. With her military son unable to help, she found temporary shelter with relatives until their house burned down, leaving her homeless once again.

When the village elder suggested she apply for housing at Chudo Village, Nadiia could hardly believe the news of her acceptance. On November 18, 2024, she moved into apartment 19.2A at Senior Chudo Village. Despite suffering from concussion aftereffects, anemia, and blood pressure problems, she found peace in her new surroundings.

“Only God knows what we’ve been through, ” she reflects. “But trials make us stronger. Young people must believe in better things and work toward them.”

About Dell Loy Hansen’s mission, the former collective farm worker speaks with gratitude: “These villages meet modern standards that no patron in Ukraine has achieved. I sincerely thank our benefactor.”

Now participating in the Ukrainian language learning project at the village, Nadiia’s journey from the ruins of war to revival of spirit reminds us that human resilience, like the Virgin Lands where she was born, can flourish even after devastation—with just a little care and compassion.