"We lived behind the school, right by the sea. When it all started, we saw a large number of tanks and military equipment heading towards the sea. My children saw this and it scared us a lot. 

Shortly afterwards, people with guns started moving around the school grounds. It was horrible, so terrifying: especially when we heard explosions in the distance. 

When the invasion began, we left the city and waited for three weeks. I told myself that it wasn't real, that it was impossible in the 21^st century, and that it would all be over in a few days. However, a week went by, then two, then three, and we decided to go back home. 

It was terrible. I was scared because they were targeting oil processing sites, and we lived near a marshalling yard where they stored wagons carrying oil. I didn't want the children to see anything, but we kept hearing explosions – loud explosions that made the ground shake. 

To protect the children from being affected, we gathered up as many belongings as we could and left. We hadn't even prepared properly and set off into the unknown. 

My child was two years old at the time and celebrated its birthday on 4 April. On the evening of its birthday, we got into the car and arrived in Moldova. I held him in my arms in a dirty room and said: ‘Happy birthday, my son’. 

My husband and sister stayed behind. However, I didn't hesitate to take my mother with us because she's disabled. 

Whenever we can, we visit my husband in Odessa every two to three months. Every day, we talk through video calls, and the children respond more and more calmly, greeting him as if he were here with us. We have managed to stay in touch and even celebrated New Year's Eve this way." 

"Originally, we had another shelter here in Chisinau, but it was closed, and we had to find another place. We joined a group – Mothers of Chisinau – on Viber, where we share information and ask questions. I asked for accommodation and was told that there was one here, at the refugee centre where we are now. We were warmly welcomed. 
 
I really enjoy it here because the conditions – including the bathroom and toilets – are very good. There are many mothers with children here, and we have a very friendly, strong and supportive staff. The director is very attentive: he organises trips and holidays for the children. It is very nice here. We help each other, and I don't say that lightly: I'm lucky.   

Here, the director spends her own money to organize parties for the children. She buys the dough, the ingredients, and the children make pizzas. She cooks chebureks (meatballs) and makes cheeseballs all by herself." 

"Of course it is cold, especially because our room is in a corner, and it is freezing inside the centre. However, without the heaters from UNHCR, we would be even colder. The aid literally warms us up. 

Winter clothes are very important because the children are growing, and we don’t have any money. Therefore, we are very happy to receive this support. It is very important that the children are properly dressed and warm. This kind of help is crucial to us during the winter period – even thermal underwear, because the children will be wearing it all winter long. 

I receive financial aid of MDL 2,200 a month (106 CHF), plus MDL 800 (38 CHF) for the winter. I usually spend this money on the children, on things like clothing.  

If I can, I take them to different centres so they can have fun, like theatres and museums, or to the swimming pool because they love splashing around. It is hard to pass by McDonald’s. Even when we are on the bus, the children point it out to us because they love burgers, milkshakes and donuts." 

"It is fun here. We do our best to create good conditions for the children. Every day, I am grateful to be here because there are families who are less fortunate. I understand that we are lucky, as if we had won a lottery ticket, but we are also guests. And we want to go home, live our lives. I desperately want to go home. I miss it terribly. We keep waiting for the war to end."