What was your life like before...

My name is Maksym. I was born in 1993 in Ukraine. Before the war, I worked at a mine and lived an ordinary life, working hard and trying to build a secure future for my family. When the full-scale war began, I was mobilized and served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. During this difficult period, my son was born. I hoped that after everything we had been through, our family would finally have the chance to live a peaceful and normal life. Unfortunately, only six months after the birth of our son, my wife passed away. From that moment, my life changed completely. I became a single father, responsible for my young son while trying to cope with the loss of my wife and rebuild my life after military service. I did not give up. I returned to work and began taking jobs abroad because I needed to provide for my child and support my family. I have worked in physically demanding jobs, including electrical installation, solar energy projects and data centers. Despite all my efforts, I am now facing serious financial difficulties. Being forced to work far away from my son is especially painful. My greatest wish is to overcome these difficulties, return home and be present in my son's life. I am not asking for luxury. I am asking for a helping hand during one of the most difficult periods of my life. Your support would help me regain stability, deal with my urgent financial problems and create a safer future for my child. Every contribution, regardless of its size, can make a real difference to us. If you cannot donate, simply sharing my story could also help enormously. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read my story and for giving my family hope.

How does this affect your everyday life?

Every day I struggle emotionally and financially. After losing my wife, I became the only parent responsible for my young son. I try to stay strong for him, but it is very difficult to cope with the loss of my wife, the consequences of the war, and constant financial pressure at the same time. I have to work far away from home to provide for my son and support my family. Being separated from my child is extremely painful, but I have no other choice because I need to earn money to cover our basic needs and financial obligations. I am doing everything I can to rebuild our lives. I am not afraid of hard work and I do not want to depend on assistance forever. I simply need support during this very difficult period so that I can overcome my financial problems, return home, and provide my son with a safe and stable future.

Your strengths and dreams

I am a hardworking, responsible and determined person. Despite the war, military service and the loss of my wife, I have never given up. I continue working and doing everything possible to provide a better future for my young son. My biggest dream is to return home, create a stable life for my family and eventually start my own small business. I want to become financially independent and provide my son with the safe and secure childhood he deserves.

What exactly will the funds be used for?

The support will help me overcome my current financial difficulties and take the first steps toward rebuilding a stable life. Part of the funds will be used to cover urgent financial obligations and essential family expenses. The remaining support will help me prepare to return home and begin building a source of stable income, with the long-term goal of starting my own small business. My priority is to create financial stability and a secure future for my son.