Four years on: Ukrainians rebuild as the war continues

When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached his city, Eduard’s family fled. It was February 2022, Eduard was forced to abandon his home, leaving everything behind, including his beekeeping business.

For more than four years, the war in Ukraine has destroyed communities, lives, and safety nets of families. Especially farmers who were uprooted from their farms and homes, losing their means of earning a living. Agricultural regions are under siege, with drone strikes and shelling destroying fields, machinery, and storage—pushing farmers to the brink as they’re risking their lives to feed fellow Ukrainians.

Against this backdrop of constant danger, some families are still finding ways to begin again. Eduard’s family left their hometown of Tokmak to rebuild in Zaporizhzhia about 60 miles away, where he returned to his craft, reviving his business hive by hive. The family’s journey to safety reflects what so many civilians have endured—and their determination to start again. Watch this short video below to see Eduard begin again as a beekeeper with help from Mercy Corps.

"I just feel at peace when I'm with the bees," said Eduard, describing how he has rebuilt his business. "All my problems fade into the background."

Since 2022, Mercy Corps has supported more than 1.1 million people with cash, grants, and essential supplies like blankets for warmth, charging stations to maintain communication, hygiene items, and food to meet immediate needs. Amidst the ongoing war, Mercy Corps is helping communities meet urgent needs, reestablish livelihoods, and plan for a future beyond survival.

Planting seeds for the future

Through local partnerships, Mercy Corps is helping communities reclaim a brighter future after years of war. From providing grants used to purchase seeds and equipment to helping business owners get financial assistance, Mercy Corps has been helping Ukrainian farmers regain their livelihoods. With this support, over 200,000 hectares of farmland have been restored, helping to create more than 2,000 new jobs through our agricultural recovery program.

In Mykhailivka, Serhii is starting over, growing peppers and tomatoes with a tractor and greenhouses made possible through Mercy Corps’ support. “It’s improved our work by about 70%,” Serhii explained, noting that the new greenhouses and tractor have increased production that would have taken years to rebuild otherwise. Greenhouses provide protection that contributes to stronger and healthier crops and seasonal workers help Serhii expand his operations to supply markets in Dnipro, Kyiv, and more.

Serhii, along his wife and two daughters, had lost everything when they fled their village in Donetsk region. For his family, the business is a way to restore normalcy, hope, and independence after years of upheaval.

Small business, big impact

Mercy Corps has supported more than 1,000 small businesses with grants for equipment and supplies, creating over 200 jobs and reaching 23,000 people since 2022 through our economic resilience program. After receiving support through the program, 98% of micro-businesses with fewer than five employees no longer depend on humanitarian aid.

In Kryvyi Rih, Viktoriia restarted her bakery from scratch in a new city after being displaced from Beryslav, Kherson region. With a grant from Mercy Corps, Viktoriia doubled her production, hired three employees, and gained more customers with her croissants and sourdough bread.

She used her grant to buy essential refrigeration and equipment, boosting her business not just for herself but the wider community. Viktoriia gives away free bread and discounts for veterans, the military, and people who have been displaced. “You helped me, and I help others—it’s like ripples on water,” she said, reflecting on how Mercy Corps’ support continues to impact her community.

Powering energy access

Attacks on power systems shut down the basic services people depend on to survive, from heating to medical care, underscoring how essential dependable energy is to rebuilding. In Slobozhanske, Kharkiv region, nearby shelling and ongoing threats have placed tremendous pressure on local infrastructure and services.

Dmytro, head of the Slobozhanske Town Council, oversees a community of 27,000 residents. “At some point, we counted up to fifty large-scale shellings, but now we’ve stopped counting,” said Dmytro.

Mercy Corps partnered with the local government and installed 32 solar panels at a municipal water utility, generating renewable energy for 1,500 residents. “It’s truly an excellent project,” said Dmytro. “And we’re very grateful for the opportunity to use it, to learn from it, and to apply these practices in the future.” Solar energy reduces operational costs for the town, helping to increase funds to support urgent community needs.

Strengthening connection and community

Mercy Corps works with local Ukrainian organizations and communities to create safe spaces for children and families coping with trauma. In Pidhorodne, Dnipro region, Hanna is a mother of three who has relied on the Ioaniv Center, a Mercy Corps partner, as a break from the stress of war.

“When you come in here, it’s like the outside world disappears,” said Hanna. “It’s like being inside a dome, a bubble. You live in that bubble, stay there for an hour or two, and don’t feel like there’s a war going on outside.”

Hanna’s youngest child, nearly two-years-old, attends rehabilitation courses at the center, where workshops help children develop essential skills. Her older children, a daughter and son, attend interactive sessions like cooking, mosaics, and woodworking to gain confidence and learn independence. The workshops go beyond practical skills, teaching patience, collaboration, and inclusivity, allowing children to interact with peers of different abilities without judgment. For families who have been displaced, these sessions offer children a chance to regain a sense of safety, explore creativity, and build meaningful social connections.

Mercy Corps' team in Ukraine, many of whom were displaced from their own regions, have been working tirelessly alongside local partners to improve lives—refusing to let people affected by this war face an uncertain future alone. Four years into the full-scale invasion, the need for peace is as urgent as ever. Until it comes, we will continue to collaborate with communities across Ukraine, for as long as we are needed.