Скачать или смотреть Speech support for young boy amid war in Ukraine

Sessions with a speech therapist are helping 6-year-old Mark to cope with life amid war in Ukraine.

When the full-scale war in Ukraine broke out, 6-year-old Mark and his parents were living in Mariupol. Daily life became fraught with danger.

"We saw houses on fire as there was no one to extinguish them,” recalls Svitlana, Mark’s mother. “We often went down to the basement. We heard the sound of aeroplanes dropping bombs, while loud explosions caused plaster to fall on our heads. However, it was even worse underground than on the surface – there was little space, no air to breathe, very cold and damp. There were many children around, they all were crying. It was tough. It's hard to recall it.”

For a month, the family lived without heating or water. They only ate once a day, when they made a bonfire and shared food with their neighbours. At first, Mark, who lives with a disability, did not want to eat the smoky dishes.