Sunflowers: Voices of Ukraine

At 15, Anya left Irpin with her mother and grandmother after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed her life overnight. Over four years later, she is a university student in Krakow, navigating a new language, a new country, and an uncertain future. In this episode, Anya reflects on leaving home, the strangers who helped her family along the way, finding community at JCC Krakow, and eventually becoming a volunteer herself. She also shares the philosophy that has helped her keep moving forward: looking for the good, finding connection, and holding onto hope. Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

At just sixteen years old, Rodion has spent his teenage years living through war in Dnipro, Ukraine. In this episode, he reflects on growing up amid uncertainty, discovering his Jewish identity, and finding strength through community and song. His story is one of resilience, hope, and choosing to build a future even when tomorrow is unknown.
Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

Over four years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Olga Sunden has found her own way to fight for Ukraine—not with weapons, but through advocacy and storytelling. In this episode, she shares how political advocacy and a photography exhibition featuring women documenting the front lines are helping Americans see the war through a different lens, and why keeping Ukraine visible matters now more than ever.
Purchase Olga's photography album "Through Her Eyes" here: https://www.amukr.org/donations/p/regular-edition-album?rq=through%20her%20eyes
Learn more about the American Ukraine Committee PAC and write to US Congress here: amukr.org
Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

Vyacheslav is an 80-year-old seventh-generation Jew from Kherson, Ukraine. After living under Russian occupation for more than a year, he and his wife made the difficult decision to leave their home and rebuild their lives in Krakow. In this episode, he reflects on identity, resilience, Jewish community, and the perspective that comes from a lifetime of experience—offering a reminder that even in the midst of war, life, tradition, and hope continue. Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

When Viktoriia left Kyiv with her family in February 2022, she never expected to still be rebuilding her life in Brooklyn more than four years later. In this episode, Viktoriia reflects on leaving Ukraine, adapting to life in New York, finding community through JCH Bensonhurst, and carrying the uncertainty of a war that continues from thousands of miles away. Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

In Dnipro, Ukraine, Kate is a mother, a teacher, and a psychologist. In this episode, she reflects on raising children during war, finding strength through community, and why—despite everything—she still chooses to build her life at home and nurture her own happiness. Donate today to support the community in Dnipro, Ukraine here: https://www.charidy.com/solomonika

Bella thought she was leaving Ukraine for a week. Four years later, she’s rebuilding her life in Brooklyn while carrying the memories, friendships, and identity she left behind in Odessa. In this episode, she reflects on displacement, adaptation, and what it means to move forward without letting go of home.

Victoria never planned to leave Ukraine; she thought she would be gone for two weeks. Years later, she’s still building her life in Krakow. In this episode, Victoria shares the moment that forced her to leave with her teenage daughter and their guinea pig, what it meant to rebuild her life from nothing as a refugee, and how she went from standing in line for aid to finding purpose in providing that same support for others.

Welcome to Sunflowers: Voices of Ukraine. In our first episode, meet Yana, a young girl living in Dnipro, Ukraine. She shares what life feels like today, and what it felt like before the war began. Through her eyes, we hear the difference between two Februaries, and how everyday life has changed in ways both big and small.