Derbyshire family's funding bid to make Ukrainian teen's university dream come true

Ashover Hay residents Luci Sanan, husband Pierre and four-year-old daughter Anna-Marcelle took in Sofiia ‘Sophie’ Zaiets, 18, and mum Nataliia Sadovska, who has multiple sclerosis, after they escaped from Kiev at the outset of the war.

Luci, a television executive, said: “I was deeply moved by the crisis. Having visited Kiev a few times for work, I wanted to do something to help.

“We were put in touch with Sophie and Nataliia through my contacts there. As the fighting got closer and closer to them, they didn’t feel they could stay any longer.

“It’s been very interesting and rewarding to have them live with us, and so enriching for my daughter to be around people from another culture. I’d recommend it to anyone.”

Like all Ukraine visa sponsors, Luci has faced a mountain of bureaucracy to help her guests get a National Insurance number, Universal Credit and disability support, bank accounts and doctors.

But the biggest obstacle they face now is finding a way for Sophie to continue her education, particularly as Government financial support for host households is set to end after six months.

Luci said: “Sophie is a remarkable young woman who has been her mum’s primary carer since she was nine, was forced to leave her home and other family members, and is still so bright, bubbly and positive about what she wants to achieve.

“She doesn’t want to live off handouts, she wants the chance to make a better life for them both, and has been denied that by a war. She’s extremely talented and could have an incredible impact in future. She’s been through such hardship and just wants an opportunity.”

Sophie was in the first year of an electronics degree back in Ukraine, but Britain’s education system has opened up the possibility of pursuing her dreams in video game design.

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Luci’s has helped to line up a string of work experience placements and Arts University Bournemouth has offered Sophie a place on a foundation course starting next week, leading to a degree in virtual reality and animation – but that leaves a question of money.

Luci said: “Sophie is classed as a UK resident for three years so pays domestic tuition fees, but as she is not a permanent resident it doesn’t look like she can get a student loan. We’ve looked for scholarships and special refugee funding but there is nothing for a course like this.

“We’ve found a lovely retired couple with a wheelchair accessible bungalow down on the south coast who have agreed to take them in but that’s only a temporary solution.”

Instead Luci has turned to crowdfunding to try and meet the course fees and living costs for both Sophie and Nataliia – and more than £5,000 has been donated so far.

Luci said: “We can’t thank them enough. We’ve been blown away by people’s generosity in the community, but especially those donations from people we’ve never met and at a time when so many are struggling themselves.”

If you would like to support Sophie’s dream, go to https://bit.ly/3CNh1ay.