As Lucy Romanankova reflects on the past two decades of serving people with disabilities through the Florence Centre in Ukraine, she is both proud and despondent. Proud of the excellent work that her staff have done and continue to do for families and fearful that this work will disappear as the war in Ukraine drags on.

Life in Ukraine was very different 20 years ago. Although the Iron Curtain had come down years earlier, NGOs were still a rarity in the country. At that time, Lucy was teaching at the university in Zaporizhzhia , exploring the creation of a Social Work and Psychology program. While she was able to provide excellent resources and teaching to her students, places for practicums were hard to find.

But through a connection at a conference in Odessa, Lucy was put in contact with Otto Driediger, a retired sociology professor from the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, who was open to exploring possibilities with her. He and his wife Florence, a social worker, began trips to Ukraine, guest lecturing at the university and eventually creating what is known today as The Florence Centre.

“I decided we should call it The Florence Centre for two reasons,” Lucy explains. “First, it was a way to honour Florence and all her work with us and second, it was a name that would draw attention because there’s nothing like it in Ukraine.”

The Florence Centre began working in schools helping students with addictions. They expanded their work to support families whose children live with developmental disabilities, those experiencing domestic violence, support for seniors, and more.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had an enormous impact on these services. Lucy and her team have had to pivot multiple times to support families both within Zaporizhzhia, as well as displaced families living outside of Ukraine.

Support from Communitas

Communitas first got involved when then executive director Steve Thiessen heard word of the good work they were doing. He was intrigued by the connections that Otto and Florence Driediger had established with the academic community in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and they way they addressed subjects like restorative justice, civil society, and social work. When the FSU collapsed, Steve saw an opportunity for Communitas to support the work of the Florence Centre.

“With the increasing possibility of travel, my own family’s ancestral connection to Ukraine, and my experience with the deinstitutionalization movement in Canada, I imaged that some kind of organizational relationship might be mutually beneficial,” Steve says.

The board of Communitas agreed to provide some ongoing financial support. Over the following years, Steve made several visits to the Florence Centre, making presentations there and also at the university in Zaporizhzhia. Lucy also made several trips to Canada to share ideas on how best to serve people of all abilities.

The Florence Centre Today

On a recent visit to Abbotsford, Lucy came with a team of staff from the Florence Centre (pictured in the image at the top of this story.) It was an opportunity to share experiences and learning.

Karyn Santiago is the chief executive officer with Communitas. She says this recent visit was a stark reminder of the peace and comfort we enjoy in Canada.

“While the six women were here with us, bombs and missiles were falling in their home city, family members were staying in close contact, and their hearts were, at times, quite heavy,” Karyn observed.

At the same time, the team from the Florence Centre had the opportunity to receive some training with new mental health tools, learn about the mental health clubhouse model, visit a home for children with complex health care needs, and visit various home-living options facilitated by Communitas.

“It was a rich and mutually beneficial experience to have Lucy and her team with us,” Karyn says. “We are grateful for the opportunity that we have to continue to support their work in Ukraine.”

Your Support Matters

While the future seems bleak for Ukrainians, Lucy continues to cling to hope. All of their services are now offered virtually. She says that the work of the Florence Centre could not be done without the help of Communitas and Otto and Florence Driediger.

“We continue to work and offer services as best we can,” she says. “By helping others, we help ourselves.”

You can support the work of the Florence Centre when you visit CommunitasCare.com/donate and select “The Florence Centre Ukraine” when making your donation.