Protection and support of Ukrainian children in wartime: how international organizations contribute to implementation of essential programs

Since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, representatives of international organizations and foundations have been actively involved in creating the necessary mechanisms to help Ukrainian children who suffered as a result of russia’s actions in Ukraine. In particular, Ukraine Children’s Resilience Fund works to this end providing protection and assistance to children affected by the war as well as support to NGOs working in various areas to improve the lives of children.

This was discussed during a briefing at Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

In order to implement the necessary measures to support Ukrainian children, the Fund, together with the international company Crown Agents Ukraine, has cooperated with various Ukrainian civil society organizations to direct their work to help Ukrainian children affected by the war.

“February 24 marked two years since the russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, and children have been confronted with unimaginable challenges amidst the turmoil of war. They’ve not only faced physical dangers from ongoing attacks across the country, but they’ve also endured significant mental strain due to the loss of homes, parents, loved ones and friends. The Children’s Resilience Fund has been dedicated to enhancing their resilience through various initiatives such as child protection, education and activities that improve their quality of life, our commitment to this project and to the children of Ukraine remains unwavering. And we are continuously seeking new opportunities to amplify the impact of our efforts,” Catherine Leach, Project Manager of the Children’s Resilience Fund, said during the briefing.

Emily Nell, Project Manager for Children’s Resilience Fund, mentioned that after the beginning of the full-scale invasion they doubled down on their efforts to help Ukrainian children in the ongoing crisis. In its work the Fund uses holistic and inclusive approaches to assist the work of Ukrainian civil society organizations.

“In addition to the all-Ukrainian technical team, which included Ukrainian child protection, gender and mental health experts, who assessed the applications, we engaged directly with the CSOs themselves. We listened to their input and incorporated it into the design of this fund. The outcomes have been significant in enhancing stability and resilience of children and their caregivers. The CSOs have implemented projects that enhance the online inclusion and protection of children, provide psychosocial support to Roma children and children with disabilities, and foster social cohesion between entirely displaced children and host communities, among other achievements. By offering ad-hoc technical assistance and back-office support, enhancing capacities and budget and financial management, promoting accountability to affected populations, incorporating conflict sensitivity and gender and inclusion considerations, and supporting broader organizational policies, and understanding of international donor requirements and pre-qualification standards we’ve bolstered the positioning and confidence of this small to medium-sized organizations in applying for future international funds,” she explained.

Emily Nell pointed out that the fund has not only enhanced the resilience of children, but has also strengthened their peers, parents, caregivers, teachers, community representatives, social workers and more. The impact has been profound with eleven project partners tirelessly working across Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernivtsi, Lviv, Kamianets-Podilskyi and Ivano-Frankivsk.

According to Project Manager, such activities made it possible to reach more than 5,200 Ukrainian children in need. However, she claims that this is only the beginning, as the project aims to expand and continue cooperation with CSOs in Ukraine.

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