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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 byCrown Agents in Ukraine and Integrity Action.
This summer, from June to August, our experienced trainers have worked in the village of Nemishaieve (Bucha district, Kyiv region), at the children’s camp “Training Project Caramel”. They conducted intensive psychological sessions aimed at helping children whose lives have been affected by the war.
The camp became a safe and resourceful space for children who survived occupation, terrorist attacks, are waiting for their parents to return from the front, or have suffered irreparable losses. These ordinary Ukrainian children took part in a “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques.” therapy course.
The camp’s atmosphere was warm and nurturing, and the program — engaging and rich. The children didn’t just play, discuss problems, or draw; they followed a structured program with one main goal: to learn self-help techniques. When a camp is fun, provides emotional resources, and teaches essential life skills — that is truly priceless!
The depth of this work is best reflected in the words of the participants themselves. For example, during body-oriented regulation exercises, one girl vividly described her breakthrough: “It felt like I learned to wring fear out of myself, like water from a towel.” Her words inspired others to see their own bodies as powerful tools of resilience. And during a session on restoring the sense of control, when participants created their own “inner superheroes,” one boy named his father as his symbol of strength — which sparked a deep group discussion about inner power.
We believe that the gained knowledge and skills will become a reliable tool for children to independently overcome challenges. This summer was not only joyful but also deeply meaningful in building psychological resilience.
We sincerely thank our constant partner and good friend “Training Project Caramel” and its director Iryna Zavalna for their cooperation.
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 byCrown Agents in Ukraine and Integrity Action.
Our foundation’s team of trainers work with children every day, providing them with psychological support, helping them overcome challenges, and guiding them to find their internal resources. To ensure this work remains effective and stable, it’s crucial to take care of the trainers themselves. That is exactly why the Resource Space — a platform for meetings, workshops, and training sessions — continues its operation.
The Resource Space was created so that every trainer has the opportunity to take care of themselves, gain new knowledge, exchange experiences with colleagues, find inspiration, and restore their inner balance. During this difficult time of full-scale war, this kind of support is a necessary prerequisite for our specialists to continue carrying out their vital mission with high quality.
A key feature of the space is that it runs online. Our project’s trainers are working all of Ukraine. These online meetings allow us to stay connected, regardless of where anyone lives, and maintain a sense of unity and mutual support.
The space is being filled with relevant content and practical tools. Among the topics discussed at our recent meetings were:
Workshop: “Resource Renewal: EMDR Techniques for Daily Resilience” by Olena Lysenko.
Masterclass Series: “Goddesses and Gods Within You” by Kateryna Sukenyk.
Art Therapy Methods: “MANDALA THERAPY” by Kateryna Sukenyk.
Workshop: “Working with Inspiration: How to Avoid Burnout” by Olena Lysenko.
We believe that supporting our trainers directly impacts the quality of help provided to the children and families they work with. Therefore, the Resource Space is not just about professional development; it’s about care, mutual respect, and strengthening our community.
Participant Testimonials
Olha Posternak:
What I liked most about the group was the opportunity to gain real resources, support, and lots of interesting information that helps you better understand yourself, recharge your strength, and cope with the stress in the country today. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and care. Individual therapy is an absolutely priceless opportunity.
Serhii Serhiiev:
It was a time when you could pause the daily hustle and bustle and simply be in the moment. The practices helped me relax, restore my energy, and feel that self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity. In our restless world, moments like these are priceless.
Kateryna Sukenyk (trainer and “hostess” of the Resource Space):
Our Resource Space became a source of fulfillment, giving, joy, and a feeling of unity with like-minded people who are dear to me! It was important for me to share my knowledge. The resources I offered were dedicated to deep self-discovery and exploring the subconscious.
Viktoriia Yavdoshchak:
The “Goddesses and Gods Within You” workshops were a genuine space of support and inspiration. The atmosphere was warm, which helped relieve tension and allowed me to focus on my needs. During the workshop, I felt lightness, inspiration, and the resource to implement new ideas. The Mandala Therapy workshop was a valuable self-discovery. The “Path to…” transformational game was a profound experience that helped me re-analyze my own values.
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 byCrown Agents in Ukraine and Integrity Action.
