Anastasia’s Story

Kyiv, Ukraine

Anastasia Smahina

Anastasia was born in Ukraine and decided to move to the city of Kyiv when the war between Russia and Ukraine escalated to be with her grandmother, unaware of Russian forces currently occupying her grandmother’s village. Anastasia’s family could not receive Ukrainian humanitarian help due to Russian blockades.

For three weeks, Anastasia and her family had no access to mobile services, electricity, or water. Finally, in the middle of March, civilians in her area had the opportunity to leave their homes and to go the “green corridor,” meaning that it was temporarily safe to leave the village.

Taking the opportunity, her family traveled to Athens, Greece, where Anastasia had wanted to study before the war broke out. Now, she studies at the American College of Greece in Athens all while completing internships with Your Path Forward. Outside of school, Anastasia works as a volunteer to aid Ukranian refugees traveling to Athens with her family.