Since the beginning of the war, almost 90,000 Ukrainians have found refuge in Romania. The majority are women and children. Some women managed to find work, while others try to earn a living with their skills: drawing, making cakes, handmade clothes or toys.

Until now, almost 6 thousand Ukrainians have been employed in Romania since the beginning of the war, according to the Minister of Labor. However, it is not easy for everyone, especially women who also have to take care of children or elderly parents with whom they crossed the border.

However, many of them are reinventing themselves or using their talents to try and earn extra money by promoting their products in Facebook groups. I talked to some artists or talented women from Ukraine about how they live in Romania.

Ilyana, artist, 41 years old: “I want Romanians to know Ukraine through my art”

Ilyana/ Personal archive

Ilyana comes from the city of Mykolaiv and came to Romania last May. She is an artist and settled in Oradea, where she paints in the house where she lives, as she cannot afford to rent a studio.

“I have been drawing flowers, nature, cities since birth. I am inspired by everything that is beautiful around us. I draw with great love and transfer my positive energy into the art I create, where I also bring in elements and symbols from Ukraine. I want Romanians to get to know Ukraine through my work,” says the woman.

Iliana sells her paintings from 200 lei, and although she admits that some Romanians have bought from her, she also admits that it is very difficult for her to sell them.

“It’s impossible for me to raise money from the art I create, but at least I manage to survive. I am extremely grateful to everyone who buys paintings from me, because it helps me earn a living far from my country and home,” Ilyana adds.

Alesia, 41 years old, fashion designer: “It is very difficult to find good materials in Romania”

Sweater from Alesi. PHOTO: Alesya/ Personal archive

Alesya flew to Romania from Kyiv on March 2 together with her two daughters. He arrived by car and tells how he was afraid on the way: “there was constant shelling, I saw shooting at civilian cars, it was terrible.”

She is an architect and interior designer by profession and is currently preparing documents to be able to help those who seek her services, but she is also trying to develop her passion for fashion design.

“I design patterns, choose fabrics and materials, and then sew. This is my greatest passion and I put my soul into what I do,” says the woman.

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Alesia has been sewing and knitting since the age of 15 and says that she managed to sell some of her creations to Romanians, although she cannot save the money she earns.

“My main customers are young girls, as well as husbands who order something nice for their wives. But it is very difficult for me to find good materials in Romania, and what is available is also very expensive compared to prices in Ukraine,” she adds.

The Ukrainian woman says that this is currently her only source of income, as she has two daughters, one of whom is very young, and “she has to devote herself to the children, their development and education.” Alesya continues to count on the support of the Romanians and conveys that “Ukrainians still need this very much.”

Liliya, 45 years old, manicurist: “In order to feed the family, you have to rely on yourself”

Lili came to Bucharest in September with her mother and daughter. She tells how she worked in the kitchen of a restaurant, but she was paid very poorly and quit.

“My daughter is studying online, and my mother is already retired. We live in a very small apartment, I am looking for a job, sometimes I get a part-time job, but the pay is very low and it is difficult for us. I hope to return home soon,” she says.

The woman talks about how Romanians help Ukrainians, but “there are a lot of them here, but help is getting less and less.”

In addition, Lili also mentions how many of those participating in the 50/20 program do not offer the promised help: “there are many Romanians who do not offer 20 lei according to the program, so you have to rely on yourself to feed seven “Yu”.

She offers manicure services, but says that few Romanians come to her, only women from Ukraine, but even they “don’t have the money for it.” He doesn’t have the money to rent a place, so he works in the house he lives in, but he doesn’t count only on income from it.

41-year-old Natalia makes dolls: “I feel the support of Romanians”

Natalia/ Personal archive

Natalya came to Romania in March with her family (husband and two boys aged 9 and 15, the youngest of whom suffers from autism).

“We arrived in our car and drove for four days. We stood at the border for 28 hours, but in Romania we were met by a family from Fegarash, where we still live. It’s a small city compared to big Kyiv, but I’m comfortable here, my children have gone to school, and my husband works at a factory,” she says.

In Ukraine, Natalya was a child psychologist and worked with people with special needs or disabilities, but after the birth of her youngest son, she started sewing toys.

“For a long time, my work was also the one that brought me a small profit. After Denys was diagnosed with autism, I worked as a psychologist and deepened the topic of autism. I didn’t sew for four years, but then I took up this hobby again, which turned from a hobby into a job,” Nataliya adds.

Fortunately, the Romanians accepted her talent, and the Ukrainian woman tells how much she bought from her, especially at Christmas, when she “sold a large batch of felt ornaments”, and that’s how she managed to buy a sewing machine.

“My dolls cost 100 and 250 lei. It is painstaking work (it takes from three to seven days to make a doll), and I make all the accessories myself. I feel the support of the Romanians,” the woman continues. She says she can’t work full-time because she has to take care of her youngest son and plans to grow her handmade business.

Olena, 43 years old, hairdresser: “Only Ukrainians buy our cosmetics”

Olena came from Kherson to Romania with her 16-year-old son, as well as with a colleague from the salon she had in the Ukrainian city. She is a hairdresser and specialist in botox and keratin for hair and lives in Konstanz.

“I came to Romania thanks to the free housing program. The Romanians are helping us and, I am sure, they are also happy, because thanks to the Ukrainians and the 50/20 program, they are making good money, especially now, in the winter, when their apartments in Constanta and Mamaia are empty. ”

Elena has no money to open a salon in Romania, but she is trying to sell hair cosmetics from Ukraine on social networks.

“Only our women from Ukraine buy goods, Romanian women have not contacted me yet,” she explains.

Marina, 31 years old, artist: “Romanians buy from the heart, so it’s not difficult for them”

Painting of the Navy. PHOTO: Navy/ Personal archive

Marina came to Bucharest from Odesa in March and works as a freelancer: “I draw digital illustrations to order for different brands and draw original things.”

He really likes life in Romania, as he considers the capital “a city of opportunities”, although he misses the sea. Her love for drawing arose from childhood, although she initially studied at the Odessa Faculty of Economics.

“In my free time, I took painting lessons, and plastic has not left me until today. I find inspiration in absolutely everything that surrounds me, from my child to the wonderful activities we do together, as well as the sea that I admire at home every day. Drawing is my hobby,” she says.

The young woman earns money only from the art she creates, so she can’t save money, but she admits that many Romanians have bought her paintings and illustrations (which she sells from 200 lei): “But they do it from the heart, so they it’s not hard.”

Yana, 32, prepares sweets: “I think the Romanians are fed up with us”

Cakes from Yana. PHOTO: Yana/ Personal archive

Jana came from Odesa to Romania on February 29 with her two children, and her husband, family and friends stayed there. The young woman worked in a pastry shop, but her passion for sweets turned it into a business here, more precisely in Satu Mare, the city where she lives.

It was not easy for her to do this, since she is very immersed in the role of a mother, but somehow she managed.

“I’m very concerned about the quality of the product, as well as how it looks. We have delicious products and every little thing counts, from the packaging to the communication with the customer. Fortunately, we sell a lot not only in Satu Mare, but all over the country,” she says. Yana talks about the fact that she met very kind and cheerful people, but in general she thinks that Romanians are bored with Ukrainians.

“I think they are already tired of us, but we are not here of our own free will. When the war is over, we will return home.”

Veronika, 31, an artist: “No one wants to see an artist-bartender”

The painting was made by Veronika. PHOTO: Veronika/ Personal archive

Veronika came from Kyiv to Romania in June and tells how she promoted her art on Facebook, which helped her find buyers here as well. She lives in Bucharest and paints in the house where she lives.

The young woman tells how the war affected her creativity and even had an exhibition in Chisinau about the war in Ukraine. Veronika earns a living only with paintings that she creates and sells at a price of 50 lei.

“All I know is art. Nobody wants to see an artist as a waiter or bartender, believe me. I live only from what I sell, and only thanks to my art I am still alive,” she explains.

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