In September 2023, Polina and her mother, Natalia, fled Ukraine for Bistrița, Romania. Polina is a young woman with autism and, at the beginning, adapting to a new life, a new language, a new world was challenging for Polina. With no Romanian language skills, she struggled to communicate with her teachers and classmates at the “Lacrima” Special Education Centre. This led to frustration and aggressive behaviour.
Natalia, Polina’s mother, says, “When we fled Ukraine, we left behind our home, our family, our friends... everything that was familiar. For my daughter, a young woman with autism, the change was overwhelming. It was hard. She was withdrawn, quiet, scared. I felt like I couldn’t reach her anymore.”
However, over time, and with support, Polina made visible progress. Natalia continues, “But something happened at Lacrima School. For the first time in a long while, I saw her laughing. Truly, from the heart. In a safe space, where no one judged her, where she was accepted just as she is.”
In the space of two years, she improved her language skills significantly—Polina now understands Romanian well and is able to communicate using a few simple words. She is passionate about the arts and sports, and one of her favourite activities is swimming. Polina participates at the “Lacrima” Special Education Centre swimming programme where she has adapted surprisingly well. She thrives in physical and movement-based activities, regularly attending a weekly “Lacrima” Special Education Centre programme of games and exercises in which she actively and joyfully participates. These sessions are the perfect preparation for Special Olympics competitions!
Natalia adds, “Sports gave her more than just an activity—it gave her a purpose. A meaning. She learned to wait, to cooperate, to celebrate success—even the smallest victories. And at Special Olympics Romania National Games, when she received her medal, she clutched it to her chest like a treasure. It was more than just a competition. It was joy. For her. And for me.”
Another area of great interest to her is the arts. Polina enjoys expressing herself through painting, collage, and visual arts. She is very creative, pays attention to detail, and has artistic sensitivity—qualities that support her emotional expression in a positive way.
Polina has come a long way since she first arrived from Ukraine. Today, she is increasingly calm and connected to those around her and overall, she is flourishing at her own pace. Polina’s mother is so pleased with her daughter’s development and adaptation at school that she has decided to settle in Bistrița, regardless of how the situation in Ukraine evolves.
Natalia movingly concludes, “I have seen something in her eyes I hadn’t seen in a long time: confidence. I realized that beyond borders, beyond trauma, there are places where my child is seen. Loved. Encouraged. The adapted sports activities (swimming, bocce, indoor games—which she’s been involved in since her first year at Lacrima) have shown me that we are not alone. And that, yes—there is a future. There is hope. There are chances.”
As we celebrate World Refugee Day 2025, Special Olympics extends a special thanks to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and ESPN for their ongoing support to the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees programme, an initiative that brings inclusive sports and related services to Special Olympics athletes and refugee youth alike in order to drive inclusive development to this population.