Rinat Akhmetov Foundation has completed the “One Day” creative essay competition. Its participants were schoolchildren from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions. The competition became one of the directions of the unique project “Civilians Voices. Museum of Rinat Akhmetov Foundation”. This is an unprecedented collection of personal stories of people whose lives have been radically changed by the armed conflict in Donbas. In total, the Foundation received almost 2,000 entries. Twenty-four of them were voted the best by the jury. They will be accepted into the museum archive.
One of the finalists became Anna Migal from Horlivka. Now the girl lives and studies in Mariupol. She narrates her story in the third person.
– 2014, the beginning of summer, which little seven year old Anya was looking forward to spend more time with her family. She doesn’t know yet that in the warmest month of summer, July, adult life has started for the little heart…. What does the peace mean to our main female character, who is already 14 years old? The peace for her was left in her childhood, which she spent in her home town near her family,” wrote Anna.
Another finalist became Daniel Ushkats from Donetsk. His family was forced to move to Krasnogorovka.
– My father took me to my grandmother`s place in the centre of the town. But is that possible to hide from the war? Is there any difference for the war how old are you – 8 or 80? Grandmother told me fairy tales, but I don’t remember any of them. I remember only horror, I wanted to hide under the bed, cover myself with a blanket and hear nothing… How much time does the night last? Do you think 6, 7, 8 hours? You are mistaken. It lasts eternity. The war started… I transferred from one school to another, and I found my favourite. I like this city in peace and coziness. Each time, when I heard the noise of the elevator, I shivered, I was afraid that the war would catch us even here. I moved to Krasnogorovka. I am 15 y.o. I haven’t been at home for 8 years. And where is actually my home? Where is my place, anyway? – wonders Daniel.
One more work, which jury noted was essay of Vadim Sukhobrus. His story won’t live anybody indifferent:
– Severski Donets shuddered at that time, and tears of blood like rain covered the ground. Hot blood was drawn, human life was ended forever! The cries of the wounded and dying could be heard from everywhere in the sky. “Mommy, Mommy, I’m scared so much!” – my 4-year-old sister Masha whispered frightenedly as she leaned against her mother. I kept silence clenched my teeth. Explosion! And suddenly darkness… Finally, I opened my eyes. A feeling of desperation and hopelessness caught me up. As if in a dream, I saw badly injured human bodies, my mother and Marichka. They were no longer breathing… Some black woman was standing nearby. She touched them with her bloody hands. I realised that it was war – the terrible daughter of the evil. Bloody, destructive.
“Civilians Voices” is an unprecedented online museum that documents the testimonies of Donbass civilians. More than 5,000 stories are already kept in it. The goal is to gather 100,000 by 2025.
To leave your story and contribute to memory keeping, simply click on the link https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/ru/my-story and fill in a short questionnaire or leave your contact details for feedback. You can also contact the Foundation for psychological help by calling 0800509001.