Family is the primary source of emotional support, financial stability and cultural continuity, significantly aiding the settlement and integration of many of the women interview. Mid Ulster has a high percentage of economic migrants. Many of the women explained how their husbands or family members had come to the area seeking work as there was economic instability in their home countries. The women and children followed, hoping and believing for better education, opportunities and frankly a better way of life. Contracting with this, Mid Ulster has become a place to call home for many Ukrainians who came here under the “Homes for Ukrainians Scheme”. Too often many women have fled war and conflict and had the very difficult decision to make to leave family so they and their children could find a safe place to live and belong.

Family is a highly emotive thread weaving through each and every story. The concept of family carries immense emotional weight and is profoundly evocative, acting as both the primary source of trauma during displacement and the central motivation for resilience, survival and rebuilding. For many women, the experience of leaving their home countries whether through choice or having to flee conflict is inseparable from the rupture, loss or desperate protection of the family unit.

The presence of family members aids better mental health, reduces isolation and promotes long term stability in the host country. Many women speak about how their children are their main priority and concern: their deepest desires to see them grow up in a safe community where they are welcomed, accepted and belong.

Family provide a critical back drop for a rich cultural heritage and opportunity for preservation of traditions and customs.