She came to Hamilton after escaping war in Ukraine now she's helping others do the same

A month after the start of the Russian invasion ofUkraine in February 2022, Hanna Trofimovasaid she had a deadly dilemmaon her hands.

"My idea was to stay there because I felt sorry for my husband he's still there but his idea was to go as far as possible ...because we have two kids," the 46-year-old Ukrainiantold CBC Hamilton.

"I was like, 'OK, probably one more day, two more days, three more days,' but after that, we made a quick decision that we had to go."

Trofimova and hertwo childrenlefton March 4.Her husband, an information technology specialist, stayed behind in the central city of Dniproto help ensure locals still had internet access.

Trofimova said she and the children, now 16 and 9, fledtoLvivbefore ending up in Poland and arriving in Canada 23 days later.

Now, she's helping Ukrainian families, who faced the same gruelling choices, settle in the Hamilton area.

"It was just like a miracle,"Trofimova said with a bubbly smile while sitting in an office at theYMCA Immigrant Services building on Main Street West.

Trofimovahas helped 170 Ukrainians

Trofimova said when she arrived in Toronto, she stayed with her sister and got a job as a translator before landing a position at YMCA of Hamilton Burlington Brantford as anewcomer information specialist.

In Ukraine,Trofimova was an English teacher who taught children and adults.

At the YMCA, she works specifically with Ukrainian families entering the country viaCanada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), a federal program to expedite the migration process for Ukrainians fleeing war.

The local YMCA'sUkrainian settlement support services include:

• English-language assessments andconversation circles.
• Youth and school settlement supports.
• Employment services.
• Referrals to housing, health and other services.
• Professional and youth mentorship matches.

Lily Lumsden, senior regional manager at YMCA employment and immigrant services, said families get referred to the YMCA's servicesthough the Canadian Red Cross or the Canadian UkrainianImmigration Aid Society.

She addedTrofimova has helped 170 Ukrainians, while the local YMCAas a whole has helped over 600 Ukrainians since March.

"Hanna being new here as well, what's really helped is she has that perspective," Lumsden said.

Trofimovasaid she is able to draw on her own experiences to help guide newcomers.

"When I see their eyes, first, it's kind of panicking," she said.

"As long as we communicate with them, they always leave with a smile ... this thank you and this smile is a complete reward and is the greatest pleasure."

Ukrainian supports at YMCA expanding

Lumsden said the YMCA supportshaveexpanded thanks to funding from Ontarioand the federal government's desire to increase immigration levels.

Lumsden said the YMCA hired seven people specifically to help with Ukrainians immigrating throughCUAET, as well as three school settlement workers. Some 205 childrenhave benefitedfrom the education services, she said.

The most significant addition, Lumsden said, are two full-time housing workers to help Ukrainian families find permanent housing in Hamilton in surrounding areas.

This way, workers will be with the families every step of the way instead of pointing them to online listings.

'I have to be optimistic'

While Trofimova is a world away from Ukraine, she's reminded of what's happening in her homeland daily.

She still hasn't reunited with her husband and some friends are also back in Ukraine.

The past year hasundoubtedly been challengingfor her and her family.

Despite that, Trofimova said, she doesn't let the circumstances bring her down.

"I have two kids ... If they see me crying ... they will cry with me,"she said.

"I have to be optimistic. I knowone day, everything will be fine."