The story of a participant in the Unbreakable Mom project, Maryna Babenko, is about empathy, hidden talents, and what gives strength to survive the war.
The Unbreakable Mom charitable project from the Masha Foundation and the Saving Lives Humanitarian Initiative of Metinvest Group is aimed at stabilising the psychological and emotional state, preventing PTSD, developing the ability for adaptation, self-realization and recovery to life.
Maryna Babenko
The Unbreakable Mom charitable project from the Masha Foundation and the Saving Lives Humanitarian Initiative of Metinvest Group is aimed at stabilising the psychological and emotional state, preventing PTSD, developing the ability for adaptation, self-realization and recovery to life.
"I am a mother of a 19-year-old son. I live in the suburbs of Dnipro. I have been working as a lead engineer in the estimate development department at Metinvest for about 10 years .
Since the beginning of the war, we have not gone anywhere. Fortunately, there were no heavy attacks.
I am a person with a high level of empathy. I take what is happening around me very close to my heart. After all, every person has friends, neighbours or relatives who have gone to the war, or who have lost someone.
I've learned about the Unbreakable Mom project from the Metinvest emailing. I hesitated whether to apply for participation, because there were women who had even worse experience and who needed rehabilitation more. In the first round, there were no free places left, and I got to the second round in the Carpathians. The son did not want to go.
I went to the programme to distract myself a bit, talk to psychologists, change the environment, meet new people. In addition, Metinvest organised a safe trip by bus, not by train, for which I am very grateful to the management of the company. After all, we left and came back under shelling.
The programme included an interesting art workshop: we made handicrafts, New Year's toys, appliques, decorations, painted bags. And now I have new hobbies. Many of us didn't know we were capable of this. Special thanks to the masters! And then our works and creations of children, along with goodies, we sent to the military to the front.
Besides, we were surrounded by beautiful nature, there were no sirens, and we finally slept peacefully.
Psychologists have taught me to manage emotions. I know when to stop if I'm reading bad news. Now, I limit their number and communication with people who tell this news. And it makes me feel better. I don’t fall into a heavy state. I cry less.
Breathing exercises, as well as exercises to find internal resources, help. I distract myself with hobbies that give energy: bake cakes, macaroons. My child and work are my another resources. Finally, I learn to be calm from my cat.
While taking part in the programme, I met new friends. We keep in touch, and we are going to visit each other.
For people who are depressed and have no power for anything, I would like to advise to take the chance and get into a psychological rehabilitation programme. You should just try.
I think that every woman needs such a course. We are mums. While working with children, psychologists found out that even if children do not say anything about the traumas they have experienced, they perceive everything so painfully that they need to be taken out of this state for six months. Mums need to be strong, because not only do we suffer from trauma, but also our children. This can affect the whole family. Every woman really needs this programme at least to change the environment and meet new people”.
