“This project is like a breath of fresh air that gives inspiration and confidence” — the Tsyrkuny community took part in the Healing Communities Project

The Tsyrkuny community is located near Kharkiv, just 2 km away. From February to May 2022, the village was occupied. According to Oksana Donchenko, the director of the Tsyrkuny Lyceum, this is a rather elite village with many entrepreneurs and businesspeople. So, the Russians themselves used to call it “Rublevka” when they were there. They looted everything and sent it back home. So, the community suffered significant destruction and trauma.

“Our community is strong and courageous. The year spent under occupation has shown this. We are able to do everything today to live the way we lived before the war, or even better. Our lyceum also suffered during the war. There are two lyceums in the community, and our children have not left their studies. They continue to work and study distantly. In fact, there are a lot of them, and they hope to return soon and live happily again,” says Oksana Donchenko.

Traditionally, the training module and psychological and spiritual rehabilitation takes place at the Patriarchal House in Lviv with the participation of qualified psychologists and lecturers.

The first day of the project opened with a training session by Fathers Lyubomyr and Andriy Rozhdestvenskyi, which focused on leadership under the slogan “United by Knowledge, Hope and Action”. The participants learned about the “Rule of 11 Virtues”, which they analysed in detail and put into practice, learning how to become effective leaders in the face of challenges.

In his opening speech, Fr Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, Patriarchal Econome of the UGCC and coordinator of the Healing Communities Project, told the participants about the unique DNA of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian people. “We, as a church, as a state and as a Ukrainian people, have the DNA of survival, because we have endured a lot. Indeed, we have this DNA — it is our past that has hardened us. Moreover, having this state-building in us, even today, thanks to our sacrificial, tireless, and joint work, we can do great things to be close to the suffering Ukrainian people, to go to victory together,” the priest said.

According to the Patriarchal Econome, since the time of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, the Church has been trying to support social projects in every way possible, constantly developing cooperation between various state and public institutions. “Today, we help communities like yours. We are engaged in education, healing, and various ministries to the needy and the affected,” he said.

The second day of the event was led by psychologist Anna Kartman, who focused on strengthening mental health through cognitive behavioural therapy. Participants learnt strategies to reduce stress and cope with stressful situations, as well as resources that can help in difficult life circumstances.

The third day was dedicated to studying the history of Ukraine.

The fourth day was particularly intense: Mariana Bilyk presented the resilience program, which covered the details of psychosocial support and the opening of centres for people in need. Our participants also attended lessons from Svitlana Buhay, who emphasised the importance of trust and decentralisation in communities using tools of personal effectiveness.

The fifth day of the project concluded with a reflection and the presentation of certificates. Participants noted the importance of the experience and knowledge they had gained, which they would be able to apply to support their communities.

The training course in Lviv for the Tsyrkuny community ended on 4 May 2024.

“Healing Communities showed the importance of joint efforts, education and mutual support in strengthening communities. Our participants received important information about new ideas and approaches, and hope for a better future. Learning and cooperation within the project are steps towards sustainable recovery and development, which are critically important for the whole of Ukraine.