For weeks, residents of Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine, were subjected to a siege imposed by Russian forces while their city was under relentless bombardment.
Most of the time was spent in underground shelters, without electricity or gas, and with very little food and water.
Tens of thousands have already fled, and from cities across Ukraine where they have found shelter, they are sharing stories of survival and dramatic escapes.
But how are your children dealing with the horror of war?
Psychologist Hanna Chasovnykova is helping families who have fled Mariupol in Dnipro, central Ukraine. In art therapy sessions, children are instructed to draw things they have seen in their town.
“When children go through painful experiences, they often paint things in dark colors. Most drawings are just black,” she says.
“This eight-year-old girl saw how the tank shot up and destroyed her grandmother’s house. Part of the exercise is making the drawings more colorful and thinking about making them more cheerful. So she added the grass and the sun. And to make the tank looking good, painted the flag of Ukraine,” says Chasovnykova.
“In this case of a nine-year-old boy, the family spent a lot of time in a basement. He was afraid of bombs and rockets. They didn’t have much to eat, so his main concern was food. At first, the basket was empty, then added the sun, grass and flowers, and turned planes into birds, which threw eggs from the sky.”
“He also added pyrizhky [um pão ucraniano] the basket. He was taking the bread to his grandmother, who could not leave Mariupol. If you look at the way he drew his eyes, you see they are big, which is a sign of fear.”
“This 11-year-old girl was injured in the head and hand by shrapnel after a bomb attack. She is now afraid to go outdoors because she thinks bombs will fall from the sky. She is also afraid of loud noises. Two of her friends died in Mariupol.”
“This seven-year-old boy’s family couldn’t leave Mariupol for a long time. When they finally escaped, he saw many houses on fire. Then he drew an X over a rocket and water falling from the sky.”
