During three weeks in Morshyn, the wives and children of Metinvest workers who died on the front lines participated in the "Unbreakable Mom" project by the Masha Foundation, supported by Metinvest Group's humanitarian initiative "Saving Lives". The project's main goal is to restore a positive emotional state in the families of fallen heroes and provide professional support.
The transformation that participants of the "Unbreakable Mom" project go through beginning to the end of their psychological recovery is remarkable. Both psychologists and the women unanimously confirm this. Each widow must navigate a challenging journey of coming to terms with their past, dealing with anger and sadness, and eventually finding acceptance to pave the way for moving forward. Fresh feedback from participants of the 70th session of "Unbreakable Mom" indicates that the first days were the hardest During this initial period, the women shared all their deep, tragic experiences with each other. This step is necessary and effective, says Olga KOPTIEVA, methodologist at the "Unbreakable Mom" project:
"The first meeting is always very tough. To make it easier for participants, we explain the nature of their emotions from a psychological perspective: why and how our minds react to grief, how these processes can be managed, and how to recover. We help to relieve pain and keep only bright memories. The project's psychologists are always close by. In case of the sudden grief re-experiencing, specialists immediately work through the situation individually and provide support. We faced a challenging moment on a day when women found out about the shelling in Kryvyi Rih, resulting in civilian casualties. Their reaction was intense. Our specialists had to urgently gather everyone and conduct psychotherapy to stabilize their condition. We taught our women this practice so that they could help themselves to calm down and act rationally in stressful situations."
Among various psychological recovery methods, eco-regulation proved highly effective. Group hiking with their children to the forest, accompanied by psychologists, yielded excellent results. Participants highlighted that in their daily lives, they rarely have the opportunity to bond so closely with their children outside of their homes. Exploring the stunning nature of Prykarpattia, gathering herbs and flowers, and engaging in fun quests with their daughters and sons had a restorative effect on the group. Iryna Deykun, a widow of the fallen Mykola Yavkin, a steelworker from the Kryvyi Rih branch of ZCMW, attended the rehabilitation course with her daughter Yulia. She shared that by the end of the session, no one wanted to go home; they enjoyed their time in Morshyn so much.
Iryna DEYKUN, a widow of the fallen Mykola Yavkin, a steelworker from the Kryvyi Rih branch of ZCMW, attended the rehabilitation course with her daughter Yulia. She shared that by the end of the session, no one wanted to go home; they enjoyed their time in Morshyn so much.
"We told the organizers that we would stay to show the next groups the transformations we've undergone. Three weeks of peace, a change of scenery, constant support from psychologists, and involvement in training and activities worked wonders. My daughter made a collage of photos from the first and last days, and the difference is striking. All these psychological methods work powerfully when combined; I’ve experienced it myself,” shares Iryna Deykun, participant of the "Unbreakable Mom" program.
Beyond the changes in their inner worlds, the women's external appearances also transformed by the end of the rehabilitation course. Their clothes became more colourful, their eyes brighter, and their movements and behaviour more relaxed and free. The effect of movement therapy was evident. Specialists encouraged the women to dance, reminding their "frozen" bodies of the way they moved during happy times. At first, the women forced themselves to move, but soon they were suggesting dance sessions, arriving beautifully dressed, with makeup and styled hair.
"After the incredible work the psychologists did with us, we started thinking about the future again and making plans. We bought vyshyvankas, became more cheerful, and happier. I will always cherish the bright memory of my fallen husband Serhii Maltsev, who worked at the Gigant-Glyboka Mine of Central GOK. But I know for sure that I have reasons and people to live for. After returning from the rehabilitation program, I decided to move to Kyiv to be closer to my children. I plan to study and learn a new profession. I am very grateful to Metinvest for organizing this trip, for the convenient transfer, and for their attention to the families of their employees who died in the war,” says Viktoria MALTSEVA, participant of the "Unbreakable Mom" program.
Since 2022, Metinvest Group's "Saving Lives" initiative has been a partner of the Masha Foundation's psychological recovery program. During the 70th session of the rehabilitation program, 40 wives and children of fallen Metinvest workers participated.
