Help a Ukrainian Mother Rebuild Her Life and Keep Working for Her Son

My name is Liza, and I am the mother of a 4-year-old boy named Demian.

I am asking for help because, after years of illness, loss, war, legal expenses, and raising my son largely on my own, I have reached a point where working harder is no longer enough to escape the financial crisis I am in.

When Demian was only three months old, my mother became seriously ill. I was caring for my newborn son while trying desperately to find doctors, arrange examinations, and find treatment for her.

Only one week before she died, doctors diagnosed her with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer.

We had almost no time to fight the disease.

My mother died in my arms.

During that period, I borrowed money to cover her medical expenses, everyday necessities, and the needs of my baby. I believed that once the crisis was over, I would work and gradually repay everything.

But the debts remained, interest continued to grow, and daily life did not stop.

In 2024, the father of my son was mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Before leaving for the front line, he told me that he wanted to officially recognize Demian as his son during his next rotation.

He never had the chance.

He went missing while serving.

Because his paternity had not been officially registered, I had to hire a lawyer and go through a court process to legally establish that he was Demian’s father. The process lasted almost a year and created additional expenses.

Even now, I am still trying to learn what happened to him. Recently, new information emerged that may be connected to his disappearance, and it is currently being investigated. There has been no final identification or confirmation yet, so I continue to wait for answers while dealing with all the necessary documents.

Today, I work four jobs.

I do everything I can to provide for my son and meet my financial obligations, but even four jobs are no longer enough to catch up with the debts and interest that accumulated over these years.

My total debt is approximately 800,000 UAH. Around 460,000 UAH is bank debt, while the remainder consists mainly of microloans and related obligations. Some debts have already resulted in court cases and enforcement proceedings.

I have reduced my own expenses as much as possible. I often deny myself even basic things because my priority is making sure that my son has what he needs.

Recently, another serious problem appeared: my laptop broke down.

It is one of the main tools I use to work and earn an income. Because Ukraine continues to experience attacks, power outages, and blackouts, I need a reliable laptop with strong battery life so that I can continue working even when electricity is unavailable.

Part of this fundraiser will therefore also help me purchase a reliable work laptop.

My fundraising goal is approximately €17,000.

The majority of the funds will be used to repay accumulated bank loans and microloans. A smaller part will be used to purchase a reliable laptop so that I can continue working and supporting my son.

I am not asking for help so that I can stop working.

I am asking for a chance to keep working and finally see the result of my work instead of watching nearly everything disappear into old debts and interest.

I have already lost my mother. The father of my son is missing in action. I have a 4-year-old boy who depends on me, and I cannot allow myself to give up.

My greatest wish is simple: to regain financial stability, keep working, and give my son a safe and more stable childhood.

Any contribution, no matter how small, would mean a great deal to us.

If you are unable to donate, sharing our story would also help enormously.

Thank you for reading our story and for giving me and my son a chance to move forward.