Svitlana Kravchenko, a 55-year-old displaced woman from Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region, moved to Odesa in 2022 after spending a month in a basement under shelling. There, she trained as a seamstress and began building a new life.

The story of her relocation, adaptation to a new city, and her new profession is featured in a report by Suspilne.

Svitlana says she lived in Sievierodonetsk her entire life. Her father worked as a bulldozer operator at a sand quarry, and her mother worked at the "Azot" manufacturing plant. After finishing school, she attended a technical school and qualified as a telephone equipment installer, though she never worked in that field. Later, she worked in methanol and formalin production for a total of 22 years.

In Svitlana’s memories, life in her hometown was "real," and neighbors lived together like one big family.

"We celebrated all the holidays together. We would set up tables and benches outside on the street, everyone brought some food. We sat, sang, danced, and messed around, as they say. It was a real life. And then, it happened that everyone was scattered," Svitlana recalled.

When the full-scale invasion began in 2022, Svitlana's eldest son was already serving in the military, defending Mariupol. At the start of the war, she stayed with her younger son. According to Svitlana, when a mortar shell hit a neighboring house, they decided to move into a basement.

"My neighbors and I decided to stick together in one basement for safety. There were eight or nine of us, including an elderly person who was 86 at the time. When a shell hit our building, we were buried under debris, and the children were terrified. That was when we decided to run toward the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) under shelling," Svitlana shared.

According to her, aid was no longer being delivered to the city, communication was only restored after a week, and gas and electricity were gone. Wires lay across the roads, and most buildings were destroyed. They were given only 30–40 minutes to evacuate.

"I reached the city limits and realized I had forgotten my bag with my documents. I said, 'Wait here with the soldiers, I’m going back.' But the neighbors said, 'No, we leave together.' Thank God we made it out," she remembers.

The village of Metolkine, where Svitlana lived, is located 5 kilometers from Sievierodonetsk. According to her, 80% of the village was destroyed during the shelling, including her own home.

On March 22, 2022, Svitlana left with her younger son and a neighbor who was originally from Odesa.

"At first, we didn’t know where to go, but then we decided to go to his place—there was housing there. Initially, we all lived together in his house and tried to start life over—without our own home and without understanding what to do next," says Svitlana.

Later, she learned that people over the age of 45 could receive a state voucher for retraining. Among the professions offered was seamstress, and she decided to pursue it.

"I thought: why not? First, in Odesa, there seem to be job openings for seamstresses on every corner—so it’s an opportunity for self-realization. Secondly, I think I’ve reached the stage where I can devote more time to this craft than before," Svitlana added.

Svitlana contacted the employment center and began a training program that lasted four and a half months. She says she found a job in her new field quite quickly. The atelier that hired her was founded by Eduard Kashpor, a displaced person from Mariupol. The former serviceman received a business grant, purchased equipment, and sought employees among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

"I believe this is a creative profession. If I liked a piece of clothing, I’d wear it for a while, then take it apart, make a pattern—and that’s how I’d get a new item. Now, I can finally realize myself in this," Svitlana said.

Additionally, Svitlana is a member of a creative ensemble based at the "I am Mariupol" center. According to her, this is where she finds peace for her soul and enjoys singing.

"Sometimes the soul needs to rest a bit from what is happening. At first, there were five of us in the group, then seven. Later, women from Odesa and people from Kherson joined us, and I am the only one from Sievierodonetsk. Mariupol is like a second home to me because I visited there every summer since 1986," Svitlana shared.

She says singing helps her at work too—her workdays pass quickly to the sound of songs.

"More than anything, I want this to never happen again. I hope that not a single bullet and no foreign intent ever penetrates our country again. I want everyone to be alive and healthy—my family, those around me, and even those I don’t know," she says.