Themes by tag: children
Scheduled for June 14th in Kyiv, this event marks the grand inauguration of a physical rehabilitation facility at the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital.
After an extensive year-and-a-half-long renovation effort, the pool, dormant for over three decades, has been meticulously restored to its former glory. The refurbishment encompassed a comprehensive overhaul, including the replacement of piping, ventilation systems, sewage infrastructure, and more.
This new aquatic resource plays a vital role in the recovery journey of children requiring specialized care following severe injuries and illnesses. Specifically tailored for patients impacted by war, disabilities, developmental setbacks, orthopedic issues, and scoliosis, the facility will be staffed by dedicated physical therapists.
Distinguished guests from the United States, Europe, and Ukraine, alongside philanthropists, patrons, hospital leadership, medical professionals, patients affected by conflict, individuals in need of rehabilitation services, members of the press, and supporters of Okhmatdyt, will grace the opening ceremony.
Accreditation is required for journalists interested in covering the event.
For reference: As the largest children’s hospital in Ukraine under the Ministry of Health, the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt” annually serves over 20,000 young patients, with an additional 65,000 receiving outpatient consultations.
Liubov Kovalchuk’s husband, Dmytro, made the ultimate sacrifice in battle. A dedicated member of the Joint Forces Operation, Dmytro, a fearless airborne assault troop of the 95th Brigade, valiantly served in the Donetsk sector until his untimely demise on July 12, 2022. Despite the chaos of warfare, Dmytro managed to impart his farewell words to Liubov before departing, leaving behind their infant daughter, Ameliia, just six months old at the time.
In the depths of grief, Liubov turned to her passion for writing to navigate the harrowing aftermath of loss. Through poignant poetry and heartfelt memoirs, she channeled her anguish onto paper, culminating in a poignant manuscript aptly titled “To You, My Hero!”—a poignant tribute to her beloved warrior.
For Liubov, this literary endeavor serves as a poignant homage to Dmytro’s memory, offering solace amid the void left by his absence. Moreover, she envisions her book as a beacon of hope for fellow war widows, providing them with a source of solidarity and resilience in the face of profound loss.
Journalists seeking to delve deeper into Liubov’s poignant journey are invited to connect with her in Rivne by prior arrangement.
For reference: The Kovalchuk family receives support from the Children of Heroes charity fund, which extends a helping hand to children orphaned by the ravages of russia’s full-scale invasion. The foundation offers vital financial assistance, psychological and legal counsel, and fosters the educational and personal development of these resilient youngsters until they reach adulthood.
June 13 will mark the start of the next journey of Iron Change, a unique social project for sports and patriotic education of children and youth. The participants of the project are talented teenagers with outstanding achievements in education, sports, art and creativity, who lost the opportunity to develop their potential as a result of russian aggression, but did not lose their desire to contribute to the development of the country.
For 12 days, the children travel through the cities of western Ukraine — Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Uzhhorod, Chop, Lviv — all the places where Ukrzaliznytsia trains go. The youth meet with political and business leaders, as well as with the military, doctors and artists. They will visit modern Ukrainian and international companies, where they acquire leadership skills required for making successful steps into adulthood.
More than 1,000 schoolchildren from all over Ukraine have finished the project since September 2023. Participation is free.
By prior agreement, journalists have the opportunity to talk with the participants and organizers of the project on the day their next trip departs from Kyiv. There is also an opportunity to cover the journey itself.
For reference: The project was created by JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, Charitable Organization “Charitable Foundation Save Ukraine” and the Howard Buffett Foundation.
The savED Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper, the CORE global crisis response organization, students, and teachers, has inaugurated a shelter at Mykolaiv Lyceum No. 55. This new facility stands as the largest shelter within Mykolaiv’s educational institutions. Utilizing the funds raised, savED successfully renovated the shelter, equipping it with furniture, appliances, high-quality lighting, and ventilation to ensure a comfortable and safe environment.
The funds for the shelter were gathered by savED last summer during the Back to School campaign. Ukrainska Pravda also initiated its own fundraising drive. CORE Response, founded by Sean Penn, contributed an additional UAH 4 million to the UAH 4 million already collected. The educational community in Lviv raised over UAH 1 million, and Kiwi, an airline ticket search service, donated around UAH 800,000 for furniture.
For background: savED is a charitable foundation focused on restoring educational access in war-affected areas. The foundation outfits shelters and educational centers, repairs damaged school buildings, sets up temporary educational spaces, and involves teenagers in community reconstruction through the UActive program. savED operates in the Chernihiv, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro regions.
Recently, savED launched a summer campaign to rally business support for equipping shelters and temporary schools in de-occupied communities. The campaign also aims to raise funds for backpacks filled with essential supplies for learning during power outages. The campaign’s central theme is #DriveChangeForUAChildren, encompassing all the foundation’s activities under the banner of #DriveChange.
Pylyp Dukhlii, a military veteran of the russia-Ukraine war, has established a private school where apart from receiving a general education, students also delve into programming, robotics, and 2D and 3D modeling.
Following the events of February 24, 2022, Dukhlii relocated his family to the West and joined the Defense Forces. His responsibilities included coordinating communication between positions. As a multiple life-or-death situations survivor, Dukhlii faced throughout his service, he, in what he describes, have accumulated four new “second birthdays.”
Upon his discharge, Dukhlii returned to Kyiv to continue developing his school. Now, high school students there are engaged in assembling FPV drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This hands-on experience allows students to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting. The school boasts a modern workshop equipped with tools for designing, modeling, and soldering, as well as a laser cutter and a 3D printer. The drones built by these students can carry up to two kilograms, travel at least five kilometers, and remain airborne for over twenty minutes.
“Place of Strength,” a free space for supporting children and teenagers who suffered from the war, works in Kyiv. This is a project of the “Dobrodiy Club” charitable foundation.
The space has 3 floors and an equipped shelter. There are separate zones for creative activities, lectures, training and sessions with a psychologist. So, for example, various creative master classes and art therapy classes (ranging from drawing and compositing to creating affirmation paintings) are held in the art zone. Among other things, the space has an interactive theater, a film club, reading and discussion clubs. Famous guests are invited to certain events.
In total, within 5 months of operation, the space opened its doors to 5,400 visitors with more than 600 different events taking place during this time.
By prior agreement, journalists can visit the space and talk with visitors and organizers.
For reference: June 1 marks International Children’s Day in Ukraine. The Prosecutor General’s Office reports that more than 1,899 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of russia’s full-scale armed aggression. According to juvenile prosecutors’ reports, 548 children died and more than 1,351 received injuries of various degrees of severity as of the morning of May 27, 2024.
The “TOY THERAPY ROOM” stands as a nationwide charitable initiative established by a collective within the NGO The National Genofund amidst the full-scale invasion. Its primary aim is to mitigate the trauma endured by both children and adults impacted by Russia’s invasion, achieved through the application of puppetry and play therapy techniques.
The TOY THERAPY ROOM offers a carefully designed environment where children and adults can navigate their emotions in a healthy and supportive manner. Within these spaces, carefully curated by dedicated hosts, individuals can explore their feelings, replenish their inner strength, and nurture a sense of confidence in their own abilities and desires. Central to the experience are the hundreds of soft toys that inhabit each room. These toys serve not only as companions but also as conduits for understanding and healing. Participants are encouraged to select a toy at the outset of their session, which then becomes a steadfast ally throughout their journey. Beyond the confines of the therapy room, this toy becomes a transitional object through which psychologists gain insights into the person’s condition and provide assistance.
Today, the TOY THERAPY ROOM initiative boasts over 70 locations across Ukraine, extending its reach even beyond national borders to countries like Germany and Bulgaria. Spearheaded by Victoriia Nazarevich, a seasoned psychologist and the driving force behind the Nazarevich-Art psychology training portal, the project maintains a team of dedicated professionals comprising psychologists and art therapists.
For journalists seeking insight into this transformative endeavor, opportunities for interviews with project representatives and participants are available in Kyiv and other cities by prior arrangement. Additionally, online communication channels offer convenient access for those unable to attend in person.
The Grandma’s Hares project was launched three years ago by the Nasha Peremoga (Our Victory) Charitable Fund, which supports the elderly. This initiative aims to foster intergenerational communication by having participants, aged 60 and older, create hares from socks following a specific pattern. These soft toys are given to children in stressful situations, those who have suffered violence, or witnessed traumatic events. Police officers use these comforting toys to establish contact with or calm the children. For instance, the first doll hare was given to a young child who got lost and was found by the juvenile police.
Since the outbreak of the full-blown war, these toy hares have aided police officers in working with children affected by the warfare, including those who have lost parents or endured occupation. They are also distributed to children in shelters and hospitals. Additionally, hares in reflective vests have been used to teach preschoolers about traffic rules. During the winter blackouts, they provided comfort at the Points of Invincibility.
In May 2023, the elderly women crafted a special batch of brightly colored hares at the request of the White Angel unit of the National Police of Ukraine, which is responsible for evacuating children from the war zone.
Since the project’s inception, volunteer craftswomen from Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Lutsk, Ternopil, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv regions have produced over 1,000 handmade doll hares, which have been distributed to the police. These toys are now used by Ukraine’s Juvenile Police across 19 regions and by the White Angel evacuation teams.
Journalists can arrange interviews with the project participants and organizers in Kyiv or other cities, and online communication is also available.
For reference: The practice of distributing Trauma Teddies to police is common in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Originally slated to celebrate its 50th anniversary in Mariupol in 2022, the Arkhip Kuindzhi Art School faced a setback due to Russia’s full-scale invasion. The institution’s building suffered significant damage, including the destruction of equipment, prompting a relocation to Lviv in April 2022.
Despite the upheaval, the school has resumed operations at its new location, welcoming 40 children for both in-person and online fine arts classes. These students, hailing from Mariupol but dispersed across Ukraine and beyond. Moreover, adults are finding solace and expression through art therapy sessions offered in Lviv, Kropyvnytskyi, and Dnipro. These sessions include oil painting sessions and the exploration of traditional Ukrainian murals. Additionally, the art school remains active in organizing various exhibitions.
For reference: The battle for Mariupol raged on for 86 harrowing days until May 20, 2022, when russian forces seized control of the city. Human Rights Watch’s grim assessment puts the civilian death toll from russian shelling at a staggering 8,000, with thousands more left maimed and traumatized. Many suffered life-altering injuries, including loss of limbs, sight, hearing, or memory, often due to traumatic brain injuries inflicted by relentless explosions. By mid-May 2022, an estimated 400,000 residents, out of a pre-war population of 540,000, had fled Mariupol in search of safety.
Alona Kyryliuk is from Kharkiv region, and she currently lives in Poltava region. She is the mother of two children: 11-year-old Anastasiia and Timur, who is only one year old. The woman is a military officer.
Alona’s husband, Denys, is a lieutenant colonel, a fighter pilot (Deputy Squadron Commander, Squadron Flight Navigator). The man was called to duty on the night of February 23-24, 2022. He asked his wife to stay at home with the daughter. Later, Alona heard the first explosions.
Denis flew over 80 sorties. He was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the third class, as well as the “Firearms” award of the Ministry of Defense. The man died on March 27, 2023 while performing a combat mission. The enemy shot down his plane over Chernihiv region. The pilot was taking the plane away from a settlement and did not have time to eject.
By prior agreement, journalists can talk to Alona Kyryliuk in Poltava region or in Kyiv.
For reference: Currently, the family is being cared for by the Children of Heroes Charity Fund. It helps children who lost one or both parents as a result of russia’s full-scale invasion. The fund provides financial assistance, psychological and legal support, and helps with the education and development of children until they reach adulthood.
