Ukrainian refugees in Okanagan facing another Christmas away from home
Global News
'I arrived with my daughter and with my husband,' said Ukrainian refugee Yuliia Halaktinova, who came to B.C., in 2022. 'But my son is now in Ukraine. I worry about it.'
The war between Russia and Ukraine is well into its second year — a grim milestone for Ukrainian refugees in the Okanagan.
However, mental health professionals from across B.C. are now helping Ukrainians cope with being away from home while they also build a new life in Canada.
“I arrived with my daughter and with my husband,” said Yuliia Halaktinova, who landed here in 2022. “But my son is now in Ukraine. I worry about it.”
So, not only does Halaktinova worry about her country, but also her family.
“Terrible, what happened with our nation,” said Halaktinova, “and we have many worries now about our land, our people, our country.”
It’s a sentiment shared across the Okanagan and was the topic of a forum in Kelowna on Saturday.
“We are here to help Ukrainians deal with their anxiety of settling in Canada, anxiety about changing their career, pursuing their academic goals,” said immigration consultant Marharyta Skotnytska.
For many refugees, living in Canada for this long was not the plan – but now it has become an unexpected reality.