A Christmas Story from Cherkasy Region: A Widowed Veteran and His Six Children Receive a Home
Volodymyr Palamarenko is raising six underage children on his own. The oldest is 10 years old, the youngest is nine months old. After the birth of their youngest child, the children’s mother passed away. The baby was born prematurely and requires constant medical supervision. Volodymyr was forced to leave military service in order to care for his children.
My late wife and I both grew up in an orphanage. We always dreamed of a real, big family. Of having our own home, with space for every child. Now we finally have a chance for stability, warmth, and confidence in the future, Volodymyr says.
After returning from the frontline in spring, the family lived in a remote, sparsely populated community with limited employment opportunities. Occasional temporary jobs were not enough to support a family with six children.
The solution came through the joint efforts of the community, authorities, and responsible business. A house was purchased for the family closer to the regional center — in the village of Biloziria. The new home provides safe living and learning conditions for the children and gives their father the opportunity to build a stable future for the family.
Special attention was also given to the children’s educational needs. Workspaces were set up for them, and the family received the necessary equipment for learning.
For this family, this house is more than just a place to live. It is stability, safety, and a chance to move forward. Situations like this clearly show how important cooperation is — when the state, communities, and business work together for people, says Andrii Yakymchuk, Head of MHP’s Military and Veterans Engagement Unit.
Ihor Taburets, Head of the Cherkasy Regional Military Administration, also emphasizes that supporting veterans and their families is one of the region’s key priorities, as people form the foundation of community development.
In Cherkasy region, we are building a comprehensive support system for veterans and their families. This is the golden human capital of our communities and their future development. Some stories require exactly this kind of synergy, as in this project, to give a family a new start, a point of support, and a perspective. I am grateful to everyone who made this Christmas moment possible for the Palamarenko family, he says.
For the Palamarenko family, this house has become more than a home — it is a foundation for the future. Thanks to shared responsibility and support from different partners, assistance turned into an opportunity for a stable life, where children can grow up safely and their father can look to the future with confidence.
“MHP Poruch” is an individual support program providing comprehensive assistance to military personnel, veterans, and their families.