Svitlana Sukar

Intro

Svitlana, a Ukrainian now living in Northern Ireland, is a skilled paramedic and cardiac nurse. Despite facing challenges in practising her profession, she remains resilient, contributing to the community and advocating for women’s rights.

Summary

Svitlana is from Ukraine. Like many others from her country Svitlana is here under a temporary humanitarian visa, issued through the Homes for Ukrainians Scheme supported by the UK Government. It was so very difficult to leave her country and her family are still there and her heart is so broken by the war that continues to devastate her people and her country.

Svitlana is a Christian; her faith and bible as well as her family are the most important things to her. Her father is a priest and she continues to practice her faith in NI. She is very well educated and worked as a para medic and cardiac nurse in Ukraine, but unfortunately it is impossible for her to practice her profession here as the transferring of transcripts and academic achievement is not accepted or possible presently. This has proved very frustrating for her but despite many challenges she is not one to easily give up.

She is working to provide for her family and open to new opportunities to better support and educate herself.

She is now on the board of trustees for FSWC and is a highly valued member bringing a wealth of insight and understanding of the struggles faced by women from other countries as they whether by choice or are forced to make their homes in unknown and unfamiliar countries with vastly different cultures.

She continues her traditional crafts and needlework, loves to bake and cook food from her country and as her portrait shows her traditional clothing and faith are very important for her life in Dungannon. She loves to see cultural integration and FSWC has helped her as a new comer in NI. Yet her future is uncertain as her refugee status is only temporary. This is hugely difficult to navigate.