Nataliya Korovina and her family endured six months in Ukraine after the full-scale invasion before fleeing to safer grounds. On February 24, 2022, a special service will commemorate this pivotal event, marking one year since the invasion's onset. The Korovina family departed Lviv on June 30, 2022, eventually settling in Coventry, where Nataliya now serves as a multilingual educational assistant for Coventry City Council. Despite the physical distance from the conflict, the emotional weight of their experiences remains, with the anniversary promising to stir deep emotions.
Nataliya Korovina's work in Coventry involves supporting Ukrainian children in schools. She describes her role as not just translating but teaching, expressing joy in seeing the children's smiling faces. Her efforts help ease their transition into a new educational environment, supporting students ranging from four to sixteen years old.
"I feel that I'm very very helpful, and I can see their smiling faces when they see me," she shared.
The decision to leave Ukraine was fraught with fear and urgency. Nataliya recalls the harrowing experience of packing their lives into five suitcases as missile attacks loomed dangerously close to their home near strategic locations like the airport and railway station.
"When we had to gather all our things I thought that it was like putting all our life in five suitcases," she said.
The journey from Lviv was driven by a need for safety, especially for her children.
"It was very scary, and I thought, 'It's not an appropriate place for children to live'," she reflected.
Even in Coventry, the echoes of war persist. Certain sounds can trigger memories of sirens and explosions, a lingering reminder of the trauma they escaped.
"Even here when we heard some sounds reminding us of the sound of sirens, we felt a little bit nervous," Nataliya admitted.
The upcoming anniversary will be marked by a significant service at Coventry Cathedral, where Nataliya anticipates a large turnout. This day will be particularly poignant for her family, as it highlights both their resilience and longing for Ukraine. Her children are at critical stages in their education, with one son starting university and another in year 11.
"My son is starting university and my other son is in year 11, just to get to some final part of their education to go back to Ukraine and to find a job," she explained.
