Psychological support groups are currently being held at the “Emerald City” children’s camp in Orynyn for children from Ukraine’s Donetsk region who have experienced the impacts of war and forced displacement.
A total of six support groups are being conducted, bringing together 80 children from communities across the Donetsk region. The sessions are led by two pairs of trainers from our foundation: Serhii Serhieiev and Yana Serhiieva, as well as Larysa Sushko and Zhanna Tiatkova. During the sessions, they use the “Children and War: Teaching Recovery Techniques” (Teaching Recovery Techniques – TRT) program, which helps children better understand their emotions, cope with difficult experiences, reduce anxiety, and build inner resilience.
The children come from communities that continue to endure daily attacks and remain under constant threat due to the ongoing war. For many of them, living with air raid alerts and shelling has become part of everyday life. That is why spending time in a safe environment, receiving emotional support, and learning healthy ways to cope with their feelings is so important.
Throughout the sessions, the trainers create a safe and supportive space where every child feels comfortable sharing their experiences, expressing emotions, and realizing they are not alone. The children also learn practical self-help techniques that they can continue using after returning home to better manage stress and anxiety.
To encourage creativity and provide a positive reminder of their experience, each child received an art kit filled with creative supplies and small gifts to inspire joyful activities at home.
Psychological support cannot change the circumstances children face, but it can help restore their sense of safety, rebuild trust in the world around them, and strengthen their ability to move forward. That is why these support groups are such an important part of helping children grow and heal during wartime.
These groups are made possible through a project funded by generous donors from around the world who contributed via the GlobalGiving platform. We sincerely thank everyone whose support allows us to stand beside children when they need it most.
