Survived Occupation, and Stayed to Help: A Couple from Kherson on Volunteering, Injury, and Psychological First Aid

Before the war, Inna Stetsenko, a member of the NGO *Eleos-Kherson*, was a homemaker who helped her children raise five grandchildren. Her husband, Hennadii, was working. When the full-scale invasion began, their children evacuated, but Inna and Hennadii stayed behind in Kherson to care for their elderly parents with limited mobility. Together, they endured the occupation.

“When Kherson was liberated, it was a celebration that cannot be described in words,” Inna recalls.

Then came another tragedy — the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant dam. Thousands of people were affected. At their stauropegial parish of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, led by Father Valentyn Horokhovskyi and volunteer coordinator Maryna Hryhorovych, a group of parishioners came together to help their neighbors. Soon, they were also supporting military personnel. What began as spontaneous assistance evolved into a volunteer center built around the parish community.

“Helping others helped us cope with our own pain. When you feel needed, life becomes easier,” says Inna.

On July 3, 2023, after finishing another day of volunteer work, the couple was returning home when a shell struck from the left bank of the Dnipro River. Both were injured. Hennadii was taken to one hospital and Inna to another.

Doctors removed the shrapnel from Hennadii. One fragment remains in Inna’s leg.

“I still limp a little,” she says with a smile.

Father Valentyn, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of *Eleos-Kherson*, encouraged them to attend the training. For Inna, it was already the second educational program she had joined through the parish.

“Previously, we completed tactical medicine training. Since then, I have never left home without a tourniquet and a first-aid kit. First it was first medical aid — now it’s first psychological aid. Both are extremely important.”

The training left a strong impression on her.

“Many people don’t even realize they are already experiencing the early stages of depression. Recognizing this in time is incredibly important. The training teaches you to set boundaries and priorities. You don’t take responsibility for solving everything yourself. Instead, you learn how to communicate with a person, assess their needs, and help them find the right next step.”

According to Inna, people today live under constant stress, and even small children can distinguish between air defense systems operating and incoming strikes.

“That alone is the strongest argument for why everyone who works closely with people should have at least basic psychological education and support skills.”

The project “Clergy and Communities in Support of Mental Health: Innovative Support Practices During the War in Ukraine” is implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Norway (NORAD), in cooperation with the Kyiv and Lviv Orthodox Theological Academies.