Being First Lady In War Time Not Prayer For Anyone – Olena Zelenska
The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Volodymyrivna Zelenska, stated Thursday in Kyiv that serving as the First Lady in a country that is under war situation should not be a prayer for anyone.
The First Lady who spoke during a meeting with a group of African journalists in the State House in Bankova Street, described the situation as a very difficult experience, which no one prepares for, and has no written document to learn how to handle the development.
She said: “It is a very difficult experience. No one would want this in her life. All of us would want to have peace. Yet, I have a great desire for all of us to be able to recover after this war.”
Same opportunity to recover, she said, has been created for everyone in the country. According to her, there were centres where people could access help on mental stability, especially women in the army and those whose husbands were in the frontline.
“In Ukraine, every citizen is equal. We have dozens of women in the army but we also understand that they have been traumatized. We also remember that most husbands are in the frontline. So, we have to help the women on the issue of mental health.
“All round Ukraine, centres to help the people have been created for social and psychological assistance”, she added.
Speaking further on her personal experience on the war, she revealed that she was sometimes afraid and awful. Yet, concealed her emotions in order not to make others lose hope in the prevailing situation.
“Sometimes, I am scared. Sometimes, I am awful but I cannot share these emotions so that my people do not lose hope. The fact that I did not have to flee the country but stay back to help my family is a good thing for me. It is easier and safer for me to stay in the country than abroad; and I think it is one of the reasons my people support me”, she said.
She added that irrespective of Russian aggression, Ukraine will not give in to cruelty, stressing that the people will preserve their values.
Zelenska added that before the war, she was guided by her professional responsibilities and those of the office of the President’s wife. She however decried that the war situation has redirected her focus.
The First Lady also explained how emotionally traumatic it was for her and the people of Ukraine over the large number of children held in the Russian occupied territories. According to her, out of 19,000 of them, only 386 children have returned, alleging that Russia’s target was to erase the memory of Ukraine from the minds of the children.
“Of course, it is a small number that have returned. We are looking for the remaining children. Russia wants to erase the memory of the children about Ukraine. They told them lies that they were raised by Russians, that their parents and country rejected them. They want to reintegrate Ukraine children based on Russian culture.”
The First Lady however noted that taking care of her mental health remained very critical so as to be healthy and active at the end of the war. According to her, she would be willing to take counsel from any African First Lady who had passed through similar situation.
Speaking on the impact of her School Feeding Project, she said that facing a full-scale war necessitated its expansion, especially as the schools were no longer limited to studying environment but has also doubled as rehabilitation centres equipped with modern facilities.
