Ever since the news broke last week about Russia invading Ukraine, my mind has been on Ukrainian mothers and families. Going beyond the news stories, the attention-grabbing photos and countless social media posts, I keep trying to put myself in the shoes of a mother there. I think of expectant moms, worrying about their upcoming delivery. I think of new moms, either at home with infants or still in the hospital with newborns.
I truly can't imagine what it must feel like to be living this
firsthand, having to both experience it and still take care of and
protect your children. The closest scenario I can think of to relate is when hurricanes are looming bring a threat of destruction. There are so many decisions to be made very quickly, including whether to stay or go, you're nervous for the unknown, and yet you still want to provide a sense of normalcy for your children. I know that personally, hurricanes bring a new level of anxiety now that we're the adults with the home and the children.
My heart goes out to all of the Ukrainian mothers who have spent these past few days trying to keep their families safe, making extremely difficult decisions and trying to keep it together. My heart is with those mothers who make the decision to leave with their children and leave their husbands behind as well.
USAID director Samantha Power reflected on what she saw at the border, mentioning how the group of people crossing the border are almost exclusively women and children.
"As somebody who has covered a lot of refugee crises over the years, really one of the most striking features of today's population coming over is that it's almost exclusively women and children and this speaks to the kind of society-wide mobilization that has occurred in Ukraine and that fighting-age men are staying behind to be part of these territorial defense units," Power said.
When it comes to ways to help, my heart keeps saying to find a way that supports Ukrainian children. These are a few organizations I've found that are helping out in different ways. Of course, always read up on an organization before you choose to donate to see which best aligns with your stance.
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