Sofiya Wants to Run Again
Who: SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine
Sofiya’s hometown in eastern Ukraine was viciously attacked with rocket fire. A nearby high-rise collapsed throwing rubble over Sofiya’s home. At least one child died, and many were trapped and injured. Sofiya was one of them.
10-year-old Sofiya sits on an outdoor bench in a rehabilitation centre in western Ukraine. She is in her second round of physical rehabilitation aimed at restoring, improving and stabilizing the functional capabilities of her legs, which were severely injured in a rocket attack of her hometown.
Childhood stopped
In early 2023, a year since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sofiya’s hometown in eastern Ukraine was viciously attacked with rocket fire. A nearby high-rise collapsed throwing rubble over Sofiya’s home. At least one child died, and many were trapped and injured. Sofiya was one of them.
Rescuers found Sofiya in critical condition. The girl was crushed under a concrete slab causing severe blood loss. Both her legs were so badly injured that the rescuers couldn’t lift her up at once.
Sofiya spent five months in the hospital, completely immobile, and without a will to live.
Sparks of hope
In the rehabilitation centre, Sofiya is with her mom. “When Sofiya got injured, my heart broke in million pieces,” mom says. “That was my catastrophe,” mom continues after a while. “I saved my sadness for my lonely moments. When Sofiya was awake, I focused on giving her all my strength to lift her up mentally and physically. I knew she needed all my strength to regain hers, so she can begin to get up, to start walking and to become healthy again.”
Sofiya gets up and walks around her mom. In late spring 2023, with financial help from SOS Children’s Villages, Sofiya came to the rehabilitation centre for the first time - in a wheelchair. Over the course of this first treatment, the girl started using a walker, and then began walking with crutches.
Now, mid-way through the second treatment, Sofiya can walk with only occasionally leaning on her mom.
Not giving up
“Fifty-fifty,” the ten-year-old gives a cunning grin, wrinkling her nose, when asked if she likes school. Her schooling, along with her childhood, has been severely interrupted by the war.
She started schooling with physical attendance, and then had to switch to online because of the pandemic and then the war.
“There are some good things about school,” Sofiya says while nodding her head recounting what she likes. “I like drawing and painting. I like to glue paper. I like to draw people, but faces are a bit problematic for me. Luckily, I’m quite persistent, so I keep on drawing faces, and I know I’ll get it right.”
“I also like to play games on the mobile phone with my school friends. That counts as school, right?” Sofiya asks laughing. The mobile phone, along with a laptop to help with her online schooling and some seasonal clothing were provided by SOS Children’s Villages.
Sofiya will run again!
Mom says Sofiya is a pure-hearted girl who will surely have success in life. “Businesswoman, I will be a successful businesswoman, mom!” Sofiya says proudly. “I know I need to study well, but I also need to learn other things. Like how to play Uno,” Sofiya winks. “I just don’t have the cards for the game.”
The giggles of the little girl make her mom smile. “After everything Sofiya has been through, after everything our family has been through, I don’t have much strength left in me. I tell my girl that now she has to fight for herself and be strong for her future. I know she’ll do it. Sofiya will run again.”
Related stories
STORIES FROM OUR PRIORITY AREAS
All · Children & youth · Music & culture · Health & research · Climate action · Social impact investment
