March 6, 2026
News
On the eve of winter, damp and cold prevailed in the rooms of the Polytechnic College dormitory in the frontline town of Kryvyi Rih. A drone attack damaged the windows of the building, sheltering more than 120 evacuees from the combat zone. Most of them are single elderly people and people with disabilities. As part of a life-saving aid project, we replaced the windows so that the shelter's residents could stay warm.
The room door fell on me from the explosion, recalls Olena
Olena, a dormitory resident, lives with her daughter, Oksana. She recounts that on the night of July 2025, there was a powerful drone attack, during which the building was damaged.
The shahids attacked a nearby building. It was loud, as if they were targeting our roof. When we were leaving for a safer place, the blast wave blew the front door of the room. It fell right on top of me,
- Olena recalls.
Fortunately, none of her neighbours was injured. Olena has been living in a shelter for evacuees at the Polytechnic College dormitory of Kryvyi Rih National University for four years. Like most residents, she arrived here with her daughter, Oksana, by evacuation bus from Kramatorsk in April 2022. Olena is disabled, has undergone complex surgery on her leg, and cannot walk without crutches.
The Caritas Czech Republic team visited the dormitory in autumn 2025 and found that most of the windows needed replacing. We installed 60 new windows, bringing warmth back to the shelter's residents. This was made possible as part of a life-saving winter aid project for vulnerable households in the frontline areas of the Dnipropetrovsk region, supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.
When the shelling started, our window blew out. Everything that was on the windowsill flew away. The window didn't close. It was cold, and winter was coming. We are grateful to Caritas Czech Republic for their help. The new window is very nice. The room has become much warmer,
- says Olena.
Concern and care restored people's feeling of home
Lyudmyla is 77. She fled to Kryvyi Rih from Kramatorsk after a blast wave damaged her flat. However, even in the shelter, the elderly woman is still in danger. She shows the holes in the wall of her small room, left after one of the drone attacks. Lyudmyla covered them with pictures. The window was the most damaged: the panes were blown out and replaced with boards. Lyudmyla is delighted with the new window because now she can finally see the sun and air her room.
“The window is of good quality, thank you,” says Lyudmyla.
According to Nataliia Polonska, an engineer at Caritas Czech Republic, the new windows have several chambers, and a special tape prevents moisture from entering during the cold season.
“We also installed a wide window sill so that it would be convenient to put something on it. Additionally, there are window sills and mosquito nets,” Nataliia shared.
Altogether, 122 people live in the shelter with Lyudmyla and Olena. Fourteen of them are people with disabilities. Every day, they face dangers and blackouts. To support the shelter's residents, our team organised a meeting with treats and a friendly atmosphere. This was extremely important for people who live in constant stress and uncertainty. Some have lost loved ones, and some have lost everything.
“It is as good as it used to be at home,” Lyudmyla remarks during the meeting.
The administration and residents of the dormitory are very grateful to Caritas Czech Republic. Now they live in comfort. The rooms are light and warm,
- says Svitlana, a representative of the dormitory administration.
Our activities in Ukraine
Caritas Czech Republic has been working in Ukraine for many years. Initially, our assistance focused primarily on social services, healthcare and education, but also on support for people affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Under a project of life-saving winter assistance to vulnerable households in frontline areas of Dnipropetrovsk region, supported by the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, we also provided 2,200 winter kits to residents of Nikopol and Kryvyi Rih districts. In addition, we distributed fuel briquettes to 740 households and insulated 50 houses near the front line.
Last year, we mainly focused on the health sector. Our team helped establish a network of mental health centres. We set up four mental health centres for children and adults in Transcarpathia, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In addition, we helped renovate premises for the Resilience Centre in Truskavets, Lviv Oblast, and created the first psychological recovery room in Uzhhorod, Transcarpathia.
We have modernised and equipped six rehabilitation centres in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Thanks to Czech support, expertise, modern technologies, and training for healthcare staff, accessibility and quality of care have improved for people across the region. We have also established safe learning spaces, where we offer children extra tutoring and educational courses.
