A Space Where Children Feel Better

A series of psychological support sessions for children took place at the premises of Vinnytsia Higher Vocational School #11. The program was designed for children who have experienced difficult events and sudden changes in their lives. Among the participants were also children from the city of Sumy. The first meetings were not easy. Memories brought up strong emotions, and the children appeared tense and cautious. But little by little, an atmosphere of trust began to grow. The children started taking part in the activities more confidently, speaking more openly about their feelings, and trying new ways to cope with anxiety.

One of the participants had been struggling with anxious dreams for a long time after being evacuated. At first, she kept her distance, but with each session she became more open. Eventually, she shared that the dreams were no longer as frequent and didn’t scare her as much. Another participant is going through a difficult separation from his mother, who is currently serving in the military. At the beginning he was quiet and reserved, but gradually he became more engaged in the sessions and later said that the techniques he learned are helping him manage his worries.

This experience once again shows that when children have a safe space, professional support, and a group of peers around them, things begin to feel a little better. They are not just talking about difficult experiences — they are learning how to move forward, drawing on new inner strengths.

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Anniversary of the Full-Scale War: Supporting Children Today

Today marks four years since the start of the full-scale war.
Ukrainians have been living in the reality of war since 2014. Throughout all these years, it has been present in our children’s lives — in air raid alarms, displacement, the loss of home, and growing up too soon.

All this time, we have been standing with children.
We hold a safe and supportive space, listen, help them process what is difficult, and gradually restore a sense of safety.
Our psychological support groups are a place where a child does not have to be “strong” — where it is okay to cry, feel anger, stay silent, and learn to trust the world again.

According to official data from international and Ukrainian organizations, millions of Ukrainian children are growing up in conditions of war and constant stress.
Behind every number are real stories — small shoulders carrying a burden far too heavy for childhood.

Today, we especially want to thank everyone who makes this work possible:
our defenders — for the chance to live and to help;
volunteers — for their daily, often unseen but vital work;
our trainers and psychologists — for their resilience, professionalism, and humanity;
our partners and donors — for the trust and support that allow this help to continue.

We do not know how long the war will last.
But we know for certain: children need support now.
And we will continue doing our work for children.

“Smarahdove Misto”: A Place of Care and Support for Children from Donetsk Region

In the village of Orynyn in the Khmelnytskyi region, we continue to run psychological support groups for children who come to the “Smarahdove Misto” (Emerald City) camp. For many of them, this is the first opportunity in a long time to exhale, to be in a safe place, and to feel that caring and attentive adults are nearby. This time, our trainers held six therapy groups for 64 children from the Donetsk region.

We worked in small circles so that each child had space to speak — or, if not yet ready, simply to be present among others. Through simple yet effective exercises, the children learned to recognize their emotions, calm themselves in moments of anxiety, and talk about fear and sadness without judgment or pressure.

It was visible how the mood of the group began to change after just a few meetings: more smiles, more mutual support, more courage in their words. The children started not only to listen, but also to support one another. And this is one of the most valuable outcomes.

For children from regions where the war continues every day, these meetings are not just another activity in the camp program. They are an opportunity to feel stability, to learn how to cope with inner tension, and to regain at least partial sense of control over their own lives.

We continue this work because we see its impact. And we will remain alongside children wherever they need support the most.

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Over 10 Years of Support: Why the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” Program Matters

For more than ten years, the trainers of our project have been working with children in various cities across Ukraine. During this time, thousands of boys and girls have received support that helped them overcome difficult experiences and preserve their inner resilience.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the need for such support has only increased. Our groups have been organized not only in Ukraine, but also abroad — for children whose families were forced to flee because of the war. Regardless of the country they are in, Ukrainian children need a space where they are heard and understood.

The groups under the program “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” are more than just sessions.
They provide:

  • a safe space where children can talk about what hurts;

  • exercises that help reduce anxiety and fear;

  • an opportunity to process difficult experiences through play;

  • new friendships and peer support;

  • the care and attention of adults who understand how to work with childhood trauma.

Children themselves say that after the sessions, they feel better. They learn to recognize their emotions, calm themselves, and support one another. These are self-help skills that stay with them for life.

Our charitable foundation focuses specifically on this kind of psychological support. We:

  • train new facilitators to work within the “Children and War. TRT” program;

  • organize therapy groups for children in different regions of Ukraine and abroad;

  • teach children self-help techniques, emotional regulation, and ways to restore their inner resources;

  • help children safely process traumatic experiences;

  • work with adults — parents, caregivers, and professionals — supporting them in coping with loss and stress;

  • help adults process traumatic experiences and strengthen psychological resilience;

  • provide symbolic gifts and create an atmosphere of care, safety, and acceptance.

We will continue this work. In a country where war continues, children are among the most vulnerable. They cannot protect themselves from psychological trauma on their own — they need support, care, and professional help.

Each group is a step toward healing.
Each child who feels supported is a step toward a stronger future for Ukraine.

Christmas Gifts That Warm the Heart

Even as time passes, it is important to speak about good deeds.

At the end of December 2025, children from the Donetsk region who participated in our groups under the program “Children and War. Teaching Healing Techniques” received Christmas gifts from friends and partners in Germany.

Each package was prepared with care for every child individually. Inside were items the children had been dreaming about, warm and practical clothing, and of course sweets — because it is hard to imagine winter holidays without them. Yet the greatest value of these gifts lies in the feeling of attention and support.

For children growing up in the realities of war, such gestures carry special meaning. They remind them that the world is wider than their daily challenges, and that there are people who sincerely want to bring joy and a little carefree happiness into their lives.

We are deeply grateful to our international friends for their compassion and openness to cooperation. Thanks to you, the holiday season became warmer, and children’s smiles more genuine.

Support matters. And it is felt.

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Merry Christmas and Happy New 2026 Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New 2026 Year!

Thank you for standing with us – for your trust, compassion, and continued support.

Jogether, we have been able to bring care, resilience, and hope to children, families, and communities facing extraordinary challenges.

May this festive season bring you moments of warmth, light, and peace. As we step into the New Year, we wish you good health, inspiration, and new opportunities — and we sincerely hope that it will bring lasting peace and recovery for Ukraine.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Warm regards,

HOPE worldwide Ukraine Charity Foundation

An Experience That Transforms Children’s Inner State

In Vinnytsia, at Vocational School No.11, our trainers Olha Lisova and Viktoriia Yavdoshchak conducted a series of therapy sessions for two groups of children from internally displaced families. The focus of the work was not on discussing events themselves, but on the children’s inner world — their sense of safety, acceptance, and the freedom to be themselves.

At the beginning of the sessions, children often responded to painful topics with tension, anxiety, or withdrawal. Through consistent work and structured exercises, positive changes gradually emerged: reactions became calmer, and a stronger sense of inner stability and safety began to take shape.

One particularly telling story was that of a boy who had fled Kherson with his family. Being unable to return home for a long time had been extremely difficult for him. At first, he barely spoke and kept his feelings and thoughts to himself. Over time, however, he became more engaged in the sessions, began to express his thoughts openly, made friends within the group, and by the end of the program spoke about the joy and support he had gained through participating.

In Vinnytsia, at Vocational School No.11, our trainers Olha Lisova and Viktoriia Yavdoshchak conducted a series of therapy sessions for two groups of children from internally displaced families. The focus of the work was not on discussing events themselves, but on the children’s inner world — their sense of safety, acceptance, and the freedom to be themselves.

At the beginning of the sessions, children often responded to painful topics with tension, anxiety, or withdrawal. Through consistent work and structured exercises, positive changes gradually emerged: reactions became calmer, and a stronger sense of inner stability and safety began to take shape.

One particularly telling story was that of a boy who had fled Kherson with his family. Being unable to return home for a long time had been extremely difficult for him. At first, he barely spoke and kept his feelings and thoughts to himself. Over time, however, he became more engaged in the sessions, began to express his thoughts openly, made friends within the group, and by the end of the program spoke about the joy and support he had gained through participating.

       

A Camp as a Space of Safety: How Children from Donetsk Region Are Supported in Khmelnytskyi Region

For several months now, a camp for children from Donetsk region — a region that suffers daily from armed aggression — has been operating in Khmelnytskyi region. For many of these children, it has become not just a place for recreation, but a true refuge — a space where they can spend time in silence, regain their strength, and gradually restore a sense of safety.

In addition to leisure activities, the camp places significant emphasis on psychological support. Children have the opportunity to work with trainers from our project, who help them process and cope with the traumatic experiences of war. In November, the team conducted a “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” therapy course. Six groups worked within the program, bringing together 77 children from Kramatorsk, Myrnohrad, Druzhkivka, Pokrovsk, and Sloviansk. For them this was a chance not only to change their surroundings, but also to gain practical self-help tools — techniques that help stabilize emotional states, reduce anxiety levels, and better understand their own feelings.

During the sessions, the trainers heard many painful stories. Children spoke about losing their homes, prolonged shelling, fear for their loved ones, and the constant tension that has become part of their everyday lives. At the same time, the results of the sessions were noticeable already during their stay at the camp: the children became more open and calmer, more willing to engage, and learned to talk about what they were going through.

In the current circumstances, such support is especially important. War deprives children of a sense of stability, and the task of adults is to help them preserve their inner anchors. Initiatives like this make it possible not only to temporarily distract children from the reality of war, but also to lay the groundwork for psychological recovery, which they will need both now and in the future.

 

October 10 — World Mental Health Day

Today we want to send greetings to our entire team, our partners, and everyone who works alongside us every day to support those in need.

For us, Ukrainians living through war, mental health is not just a holiday. It is a shield that helps us stay human, keep the warmth in our hearts, and support one another. It is the strength that lets us move forward even in the hardest days.

We wish us all the courage to acknowledge our emotions, the strength to care for ourselves and for those close to us, internal resilience, and strong mental well-being. Remember: caring for yourself is caring for Ukraine. Together we are stronger!

The Summer of Support: How Psychological Assistance Works in a Kharkiv Shelter

This summer, our team of trainers Tetiana Bilobrova and Olena Kurchenko began important work in frontline Kharkiv, providing essential psychological support to displaced children living in a local shelter for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The goal of these sessions was not only to relieve stress but also to teach children how to cope with trauma independently, using the “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques.” program. 

Many of the children who arrived from occupied territories or active combat zones live in a state of constant anxiety. For example, Artem, who for a long time couldn’t fall asleep in his new surroundings, said he felt as if “the night had lasted for several years.” The words of his grandfather — “You must keep living” — became crucial for him. During the sessions, Artem learned to turn this pain into an inner anchor by practicing deep-breathing techniques and creating a “safe place” in his imagination.

A similar experience was shared by Valeria. She admitted that she had “learned to hold her tears inside,” but during the training, she found a path toward the future. At first, Valeria drew only empty roads, but later she created a drawing of a home with a swing and a garden, saying, “This is our home when we come back.” This beautifully illustrates how these techniques help children restore hope and regain a sense of control.

The impact of this work was also visible to parents. Oleksandra’s parents shared that after the training, “our daughter started smiling again,” and her inner calm was gradually returning. Other parents emphasized that thanks to the trainers’ sensitivity, their children became more open and confident. One particularly touching moment came when a mother said, “For the first time, my son and I were able to talk about what happened. No shouting, no tears. Just talk.”

Thus, in Kharkiv, we are giving children not only temporary relief but reliable tools for resilience that will stay with them for life.

This project was created by the “HOPE worldwide Ukraine” Charity Foundation with the support of a grant from the Children’s Resilience Fund: Providing Capacity Building and Funding to Ukrainian Civil Society Organisations in Ukraine. The program is implemented by Crown Agents in Ukraine and Integrity Action.