For a long time, he hid in basements to escape Russian shelling, venturing out only at night to find food. 54-year-old Serhiy Skrypchenko would have stayed in his hometown of Bilopillia in the Sumy region, but his health failed him. First, complications from diabetes led to a leg amputation. After returning home, a subsequent stroke brought him back to the hospital, forcing him to seek refuge in a safer place. The Rokada charity foundation stepped in to help him turn the page, guiding him toward a new life filled with safety and care.
“The Bilopillia community reached out to us with a request to help find housing for Mr. Serhiy. At the time, he was in the hospital recovering from surgery and had no plans to return home due to the danger. Since all shelters in the Sumy region are currently full, we reached out to our colleagues in the neighboring Chernihiv region,” says Kateryna Hlushchenko, regional coordinator for the project Comprehensive Emergency Response in Evacuation, Protection, and Housing for War-Affected Populations in the Sumy and Chernihiv Regions.
The man’s relocation was swift. The Rokada team in the Chernihiv region promptly found accommodation, and Serhiy Skrypchenko moved into a shelter in Novoselivka.
“We transported the man to Baturyn, where our colleagues then took over his care,” Kateryna Hlushchenko adds.
Anastasiia Yovenko, a social worker at Rokada’s Chernihiv branch, notes that Mr. Serhiy’s room was fully prepared for his arrival, thanks to the care and efforts of the Kyselivka Village Council.
“An accessible living unit was selected for Mr. Serhiy. The shelter’s manager, Nina Volodymyrivna, provided him with a wheelchair and essential supplies. At the same time, we helped him obtain medication prescriptions and register for his IDP (Internally Displaced Person) certificate,” Anastasiia Yovenko clarifies.
Serhiy is currently waiting for his prosthesis, which is expected to be returned from an orthopedic workshop after adjustments. Reflecting on his experience, the man says that while life under shelling was difficult, he managed to cope until his health deteriorated.
“Still, there is no place like home,” he notes. “But now I realize that staying there was a huge daily risk. I have no plans to return home; I am starting a new life here. Right now, I’m working out my arms to build strength so I can move around in my wheelchair.”
