Aileen and Kseniia
Kseniia, a screenwriter and actor from Dnipro, Ukraine, fled to the UK due to missile threats. She found refuge through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and was warmly welcomed by her sponsor, Aileen, in Glasgow. There, she received support in settling in and regaining her mental well-being.
Kseniia is a screenwriter and actor from Dnipro in eastern Ukraine. In constant fear of missile attacks on the city, she decided to leave Ukraine and find refuge in the UK. A friend told her about the Homes for Ukraine scheme in the UK, and she signed up for our Ukraine Project’s sponsor search. After almost 4 months, we matched her with Aileen, a sponsor in Glasgow. A week later, she applied for her visa and arrived in Glasgow in May, where Aileen welcomed her into her home and helped her find her way around Glasgow.
The Ukraine Project advised her about accessing financial support, applying for a National Insurance number, registering with a GP, and opening a bank account. We also helped Kseniia join the Glasgow ESOL forum English class, which was organised in the PAIH office.
Aileen was worried that Glasgow City Council hadn’t completed the process to register the placement formally so she and the sponsors could receive the Thank-You payment.
“Aileen understood me so well; we communicated a lot before my arrival. Her tolerance and compassion amazed me. I felt like I did not just find a sponsor, but that God gave me a friend with a helping hand in such a difficult moment in my life.”