Support for Ukrainian Refugee Women: Viktoria’s Story and the Role of Community in Overcoming Challenges

"I am so fortunate to have met the women from the Roma Women’s Platform, ROMNI,” says Viktoria, a young Roma woman from Ukraine’s Odesa region, as she begins her story.  “I don’t know what we would have done without their help.”

Viktoria, 22, is the mother of two children born in Moldova. Her youngest child is currently being hospitalized due to ongoing health issues. Viktoria fled the war in Ukraine with her husband’s family and now lives with her two children in a house on the outskirts of a village near Chișinău, sharing the space with 20 other extended family members.

“When we met this family, they had no home and no means of survival,” explains Olga Bîtcă, a legal expert with ROMNI, which is supported by UN Women. “We helped them obtain legal documentation and secure a legal status in Moldova. Unfortunately, many families are in similar situations—people who cannot read and, as a result, rely solely on us to inform them about their rights and available opportunities.”

Over the past three months, ROMNI has assisted over 200 women in accessing documentation, social benefits, training and professional development programmes, and basic needs, such as food packages and diapers for their children. Elena Sîrbu, president of ROMNI, emphasizes that the organization’s work, supported by UN Women, focuses on empowering women in vulnerable situations. These women often lack self-confidence, education and access to information about their fundamental rights and how to claim them.

One of the main challenges faced by refugee women is the absence of personal documentation. Like Viktoria’s family, thousands of Ukrainian women arrived in Moldova without papers or knowledge of how to obtain them. After securing her documents, Viktoria received guidance and support to access social services and critical medical care, which are vital for a young mother.

“I was very lucky not to be alone,” Viktoria shares. Despite being highly stressed about her child’s health, she feels reassured knowing she can rely on ongoing support, including assistance in communicating with medical professionals.

“Viktoria’s child has the right to free medical treatment, and we will ensure that the surgery the child needs is performed on time and effectively because every child has the right to health,” stresses Sîrbu, who closely monitors the case.

Initially, Viktoria’s family received essential supplies, such as diapers, to ensure her baby’s needs were met. However, a significant challenge remains—keeping warm during the winter. The family received help preparing their home for the cold season but still lack sufficient firewood for heating. Nevertheless, progress has been made, as two family members have found jobs through recommendations from ROMNI.

“We don’t provide jobs or teach skills directly, but we work closely with every woman who seeks our help,” explains Bîtcă. “We stay in touch to inform them about new employment or training opportunities and options for enrolling their children in school or kindergarten. Each woman we assist becomes a valuable source of information for others in the community. They return to us when they face challenges they can’t resolve on their own, and we step in to support them again.”

As the president of ROMNI, Sîrbu is a well-known advocate for Roma women’s rights to education and career opportunities. “The women we work with need immediate help and support to move beyond their current circumstances,” she explains. “Our goal is not just to provide essential assistance for today but also to empower them to aspire to more, to show them what’s possible, and to help them regain their self-respect and confidence.” 

In collaboration with UN Women and with financial support from the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), the Roma Women’s Platform, ROMNI, organizes linguistic, cultural and legal mediation sessions to address a wide range of issues faced by the most vulnerable refugee women. The organization also supports women who experience discrimination in workplaces, schools, or public institutions.