Our beneficiaries represent whole life stories. Some are sad, while others are captivating. Some elderly individuals eagerly share their youth stories, while others find it difficult to recall the past.
For example, Mrs. Hanna and Mrs. Iryna from the same village in Galicia have very different destinies. One devoted her entire life to serving the people of her native village in solitude, while the other lived a happy marriage with a husband she met hundreds of kilometers from home.
Both women receive support from Starenki, and it is important for us that each visit with a food package is not just a delivery, but a meeting with a person who has traveled a long path and now needs support to continue on it.
Join us in helping elderly people. Every contribution you make or time you dedicate to volunteering with Starenki matters.
**Hanna Horda, 68 years old (Kuty village, Ivano-Frankivsk region)**
Despite her disability, for 30 years, Hanna baked bread, pastries, and cakes for her fellow villagers. Now she is retired, tending to her garden and preparing her meals.
Hanna has lived alone all her life — without a husband or children. Sometimes she visits her sister in a neighboring village or her neighbors to share news and simply talk to someone.
“This is my fate, and I have accepted it.”
**Iryna Tokarchyk, 87 years old (Kuty village, Ivano-Frankivsk region)**
Born in Lviv region, Iryna and her family were forcibly relocated to Donetsk region, where she worked hard. Eventually, she got married and moved to western Ukraine.
Iryna shares that she lived happily with her beloved husband, who passed away six years ago. She loves taking care of her flowers and garden. She is grateful to the social worker who has supported her since her husband’s death.