After coming to Canada to escape the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a young family is building a new life for themselves in Cambridge.
Picking up odd jobs wherever they could, Oleh Oksenchuk and his wife Olena are trying to rebuild their lives after narrowly escaping their war-torn country.
“I worked as an engineer in Odessa and my wife as an accountant,” said Oksenchuk, with the help of a language interpreter app. “My wife knew we had to leave, so we left.”
On Feb. 23, Oksenchuk came home from work and his wife tells him they need to leave the country, because the war will start soon. At first, he doesn’t believe her, but she ultimately persuades him into agreeing to leave.
That same day they took a train to Poland where they waited to get admittance into England. On Feb. 24, the large-scale invasion launched by the Russians tore through the country and their home city of Odessa.
After arriving in England, they were able to work on a farm making very little money. Oksenchuk described the ordeal as very difficult and felt like he was being taken advantage of.
They were working 14 hour days with minimal to no bathroom breaks and were unable to bring water into the field with them.
They decided to move on.
Oksenchuk posted in a Facebook group asking for help and temporary housing.
“When we arrived in Canada we met such a good Canadian family, their names are Rick and Cheryl. They gave us temporary housing and they fed us and helped us to adapt in Canada,” said Oksenchuk. “They gave us a ticket to life in Canada.”
For the first few months their host family took them to Canada’s Wonderland and Niagara Falls and helped them get on their feet.
The couple started to post in Cambridge Facebook groups asking to do small jobs. They did everything from cleaning, gardening, building lawn chairs, any job that came to them they would take.
“I hate asking for money. I say, give me a job and I will earn my money,” said Oksenchuk.
He knew that making a life for him and his family in Canada wouldn’t be easy, but he and his wife were determined to try.
After working for a few weeks in the community, they were targeted by someone on Facebook claiming that the couple were frauds and nothing more than a scam.
This accusation deeply hurt the new Canadians as this was their only way to make money. In a country where they had nothing, their reputation was the only thing they had, said Oksenchuk.
Members of the group came to the Ukrainian’s defense and supported the fact that they were real. Some had work done by them and some didn’t want to cast judgment on people they did not know.
“This woman called me a scammer, she publicly embarrassed me,” said Oksenchuk. “I don’t hold a grudge against her, but it was very nice that people who know me so little stood up for me and made it clear to the members of the Cambridge group that I really am not a scammer.”
The person who accused the couple of being fake, apologized and they have since moved on.
Now that the Oksenchuks are getting settled in Cambridge they have moved out of their host family's house and are renting their own apartment.
“We already wanted to live independently, because we need to learn how to live on our own in Canada and to adapt to life here,” said Oksenchuk.
Oleh now works in the industrial sector building machines while his wife is still searching for a full-time job. The couple continues to take odd jobs throughout the city, doing what they can.
Another passion project of Oksenchuk’s is playing and teaching guitar. Back in his home country, he was in a band and loved teaching in his spare time.
“I had my own mini private school at home. I am a musician and my wife is also a musician,” said Oksenchuk.
He is trying to get back into teaching guitar and is willing to take on any student despite the language barrier.
“We work very hard, our goal is to stay here and live and work,” said Oksenchuk. “I want to say thank you to everyone. Canadians are very kind people, very responsive, you all incredibly showed your kind heart and helped us.”
