Vasyl's story: creativity amid caring responsibilities

Vasyl's story: creativity amid caring responsibilities

Vasyl is the primary carer for both of his elderly parents. His father lives with long‑term health conditions, and his mother is living with Alzheimer’s disease. Caring for them is a full‑time responsibility, made even more challenging by the fact that English is not his first language.

When things began to feel overwhelming, Vasyl reached out to his local carer support worker to explore what help might be available. One of the options offered was a Time to Live microgrant. After discussing what might make a meaningful difference to his wellbeing, Vasyl chose to use the grant to purchase an Apple Magic Keyboard with a Ukrainian layout, something that turned out to be far more powerful than he expected.

Back in Ukraine, writing had been a central part of Vasyl’s identity. But after relocating to Scotland, the simple lack of a Ukrainian keyboard made it difficult to continue. Without the ability to write naturally in his own language, something that once felt effortless slowly slipped out of reach. With the right keyboard at his fingertips, he found himself reconnecting with a lifelong passion.

“I’ve always loved writing stories it's something that brings me joy. Thanks to the grant, my creative spark has returned, and I’ve been able to start writing short stories again.”

Vasyl said “Thank you” for the grant, or "Дякую" (pronounced DYA‑koo‑yoo) in Ukrainian!

Find out more about Time to Live here.