Ukrainian newcomer Olena Lavrishcheva shares her family’s dramatic escape from Kyiv, their path through displacement, and their new life in Nanaimo. She also discusses the creation of the Canadian Alliance of Ukrainian Workers, a grassroots effort uniting Ukrainians and Canadians to support humanitarian needs and help newcomers integrate.
This interview was recorded in early 2025; event references reflect that date.
Click on the player to listen, and/or read the transcript below.
Olena Lavrishcheva came to Nanaimo recently from Kyiv with her family. In Ukraine, she ran a private school and worked with youth through a missions foundation on several projects, including running educational programs in Turkey. Presently, she’s working at the Nanaimo Christian School as a teaching assistant. She also started a new organization to support Ukrainian people here and in Ukraine. One of her projects is an event to mark the third year since Russia brutally invaded her home country. She joins us now by phone to tell us a bit about it, the event, herself, and her organization.
Pawlina: So … welcome, Olena!
Olena: Thank you.
Pawlina: Thank you so much for joining us here. So tell us a little bit about yourself, when you came to Nanaimo?
Olena: We didn’t come directly from Kyiv. We actually were not even in the country when the war broke out. My kids were in the country, but me, my husband, and two older girls, we were in Dubai on a cruise.
Pawlina: Oh?
Olena: It was a very crazy story how we found out that. Our four kids and our son‑in‑law, they were in Kyiv.
Pawlina: And you were where? You were in Dubai on a cruise?
Olena: In Dubai on a cruise. Can you imagine? Because we didn’t believe the war would happen. You know, I mean, who would believe in the 21st century something crazy like that can happen, right? And it was a planned anniversary, 25 years of marriage for me and my husband. And we decided to take all the girls with us. And so we were out of the country when that craziness happened. And of course, we were in shock. I was literally speechless when I found out that our cities were being bombed.
Pawlina: Yeah. I mean, I was shocked and I, you know, I’m Canadian. It was… yeah, I can’t imagine what you must have been going through. You’ve got a large family. You were telling me you’ve got six kids. And so you had some on the cruise with you?
Olena: Yeah, two oldest on the cruise and four youngest in Kyiv with my mom and our son‑in‑law in the mission property. It was kind of outside of Kyiv, but still not far from where the main hits happened. So we needed to get them out. And my son‑in‑law, he’s 30, not having a driving license, he brought my kids to the border. So it took him four days to reach the border. And it took us about the same time to come from Dubai to the Romanian border because we didn’t have the tickets. We needed special permission from the embassy for my husband to get the kids over the border, you know. So it was like a movie.
Pawlina: Oh my goodness.
Olena: But then we stayed in Turkey for two months. We thought the war would be over. Like we thought, OK, they’ll negotiate, they’ll agree, and something will be OK. So we waited in Turkey for two months. And then we thought, no, maybe we need to go to England. My husband’s visa didn’t come. So we stayed in Germany for eight months. And then we came together to Nanaimo.
Pawlina: The whole family though, all eight of you.
Olena: Yes, yes. The whole family and our son‑in‑law joined us. And then my parents, I also say, joined us in Germany. And then now they’re here. So we are 11.
Pawlina: Wow. Well, Ukraine’s loss is definitely our gain that you’re here, because it sounds like you’re doing some incredible work already. You’re working as a teacher assistant, way below your qualifications, but still doing valuable work for the community. And you’ve got kids that are adults, and I imagine they’re working as well?
Olena: Yeah. My two older girls, they also have teaching degrees. They actually work in a school as teachers. They manage somehow. Yeah, God opened the door. So they went there. My third daughter got married and she moved to the States because her fiancé, also from Ukraine, he moved to the States. But yeah, the rest are here working, and three of the kids in a Christian school are students.
Pawlina: And you’re not only working, looking after a big family, you’re starting up an organization to support Ukrainian people here as well as in Ukraine. Tell us a little bit about that organization.
Olena: Well, you know, we all have a feeling of guilt who left Ukraine, that we are survivors and that we live a better life. And we all feel that we need to do something. I mean, this is the main feeling for Ukrainians. We are very much united. So the purpose to start this organization is to kind of do things together and also to have some people on board. Especially we meet a lot of Canadians with Ukrainian roots, and to have some support to get at least some help over there because the need is huge. And, you know, even small gifts, they make a difference. You know, they make a difference for somebody. You know, somebody will not be so cold or will not feel so betrayed and so on. So yeah, we called it Canadian Alliance of Ukrainian Workers. This is the name. Because they want also to integrate into society, like help create better here, whoever stays longer or shorter. I don’t know, you know, nobody knows actually the future now.
Pawlina: Right.
Olena: But yeah, we are uniting to get something done.
Pawlina: OK, well, that’s wonderful. When did this organization form?
Olena: Well, actually, I think in December we talked about it and we formed the papers, and I think they’re filing in. So one Canadian actually with us on board, and me and two more Ukrainians, like the board of directors, and some members, both Canadian and Ukrainian.
Pawlina: Oh, that’s great. You’ve got an event coming up very soon to mark the third anniversary of this horrible war.
Olena: Yeah, yeah. So it’s the 22nd of February, 6 o’clock, in Maranatha … Harvest Church. They changed the name. Near Costco. We are meeting together to remember and also to inform because, you know, we are not on the news, though things are getting worse and worse. And we are not only talking about horrible things, we also want to talk about the beauty of Ukraine, why it needs to be supported. And because there are so many things about my nation that are very special. And now as we live in other countries, like in Turkey, in Germany, here, I can see we have things to give as a culture to the world. And it’s better to preserve it, you know, to preserve and to support and to help us to overcome. It will be even good for us if we overcome—some hope for them as well.
Pawlina: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah, the nation, the people, the spirit of the people and the spirit of the nation, for sure. So tell me again, where exactly is this? Is it like a rally?
Olena: No, it will be like a concert. I think the first half will be like a concert because they are planning lots of songs, and we’ll be talking about why we think these things. It will be about also peaceful Ukraine. You know, what was Ukraine before the war and what is now also during the war. So you can get the taste of our country. And also we will have some things that will be dramatic and emotional, and food. We’ll have some nice food, and it’s all free of charge. So please come. I’m sure people will enjoy it. We like to unite over emotions as Ukrainians—over happy emotions, also over some dramatic emotions. But when we share, it’s kind of, you know, it’s easier. You know, when you share, it’s better.
Pawlina: Yes. And this is a wonderful approach to take. You’re celebrating life rather than making a statement of outrage against this horrible thing that’s happened. I think this is a wonderful thing to do, to have a concert and to have food available as a community outreach. So, bravo.
Olena: Thank you. We hope that after this we’ll have more motivation and some people on board to move forward. Because we have so many creative people here, and we would like to share this creativity. You know, my girls, they’re very good artists and they also sing and dance. And last year we also did something similar, and we had some Canadians joining us to dance. And some of them danced for the first time in their lives.
Pawlina: Really? Oh, that’s wonderful. So again, that is going to be on Saturday, February 22nd. And where again? What is the location?
Olena: So it’s near Costco, and then it’s Harvest Church. It used to be Maranatha. Now they call themselves Harvest. The address is 5553 Portsmouth Road.
Pawlina: So it’s called Harvest Church.And so it’s going to be inside in the hall?
Olena: Yes, they have a big hall, about—we’re counting to have like 150 people. As I said, we have about seven songs. And yeah, like some videos to show and some things to share from the heart. And then goodies, you know, Ukrainian food to share.
Pawlina: OK, all right. So then Saturday, February 22nd at 6 p.m. at the Harvest Church, 5553 Portsmouth Road in Nanaimo. And it’s free admission. Are you taking donations?
Olena: Well, you know, we will have an exhibition of different projects of people that we know. And if people want to donate, they can donate. Because last time we didn’t have donations, but people were asking us. So this time we will do this so people can.
Pawlina: OK, great. And where can people connect with you if they want to donate or get involved with your organization? It’s the…
Olena: The Canadian Alliance of Ukrainian Workers. I think they’re working on the website, but I don’t know. You can give my phone number and have people message, not call, because I’m not picking it up often.
Pawlina: OK, so then the best way people can reach you for information on the Canadian Alliance of Ukrainian Workers or to get more information about this event or coming events is just simply to send you a text?
Olena: Yeah, yeah, I think it would be the best.
Pawlina: OK, all right. So that text number then is 778‑674‑8771 if you’d like to text Olena and get more information about the Canadian Alliance of Ukrainian Workers. And I imagine eventually you’ll get a Facebook page or website or something set up. Yes?
Olena: Yes, yes. I think they’re working on it, yeah. We’re kind of doing several things at the same time. Plus, we are working. It’s like a family, so, you know. But the main thing for us is to move forward so we can get some people on board. And we are getting some people on board who have—we often hear, “We support Ukraine, we pray for Ukraine,” so we’d like to do things together. We can, you know, small things. As I say, it’s like huge work, but so many things were done with small steps, you know, small relationships. Like it was person to person and then connecting, and something big happened. So we are for that, into such projects.
Pawlina: OK, well, that sounds great. Thank you so much, Olena, for joining us, for telling us about yourself, the event, and good luck to you with the organization and with the event, and looking forward to hearing more from you in the near future. Thank you.
Olena: Thank you very much.
