We left Ukraine in March 2022 because of the war. I became a mother carrying not only bags, but the worlds of three children at once.

At first, we went to Slovakia, hoping to find safety and support. But for my middle daughter, Polina, something was missing. She needed help we could not find there. So we moved again.

In August 2022, we arrived in Scotland. Polina was six years old. She did not speak English. She had lost her friends, her home, and everything familiar. But the hardest part was something else. Polina has hearing difficulties, and after everything we went through, her hearing became worse.

At school, she stopped speaking. Not because she had nothing to say, but because the world had become too overwhelming to hear. I remember that silence. It was louder than anything.

Then one day, everything shifted. We were out walking when Polina heard a woman playing the violin. She stopped, listened carefully, and quietly said:

“Mum… I want to try.”

That moment stayed with me. Because even in the middle of fear, displacement, and silence, she still reached towards something beautiful. Polina had always loved drawing, so we started with art and violin.

Slowly, something began to return. Not all at once. But piece by piece. Through colours. Through movement. Through sound. That was when I understood something deeply: Art is not just an activity. It is a way back to yourself.

I am a mother of three: Polina, Karolina, and Sasha. Today they are 9, 7, and 15 years old.

I created Nightingale, a creative centre in Glasgow, because I wanted my children, and others, to have a place where they could feel safe, express themselves, and grow. For Polina, it began with drawing and the violin. Then came ballet, contemporary dance, and drama.

And with every class, she became:

• a little more confident
• a little more present
• a little more herself

Her concentration improved. She learned to manage her hearing aids better. Her speech became clearer. But more than anything else, she found her voice again. Not only through words, but through who she is.