Three Years On: How War Child's support to Ukrainians continues amidst the chaos of war

Forced to flee their homes, separated from their families, and stripped of a normal childhood, these kids face unimaginable challenges. It’s no wonder that mental health and psychosocial support remains one of the biggest challenges for this community.

Thousands of educational institutions have suffered bombing and shelling, and hundreds of them have been completely destroyed. As well as protection services, 5.3 million still children need education support.

War Child has been there since the start, and we’re still on the ground now, providing support to children, educators and caregivers in 15 oblasts across Ukraine.

A safe space to heal

In May 2024, War Child partnered with the All-Ukrainian Foundation for Children's Rights and Montessori UA, supported by the UN Humanitarian Fund, to meet the urgent needs of more than 67,000 children and families.

Our mission - to provide life-saving information, education, and mental health services to those most in need.

Already, 18,879 people have been reached through this project.

By implementing evidence-based programmes BeThere, ReachNow, TeamUp, and Ukraine Teacher Wellbeing, we have created a space where both children and caregivers can process their emotions and build resiliency. So far, 11,705 children have accessed mental health and psychosocial support through the project.

Additionally, 1,456 teachers and caregivers are receiving well-being sessions to strengthen their capacities and empower them as they deliver education and care to those most vulnerable.

Education finds a way with Can't Wait to Learn

With so many schools damaged and destroyed, Ukraine needed innovative solutions to ensure its children didn't lose their right to education.

To tackle this dire situation, in May 2022, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU) and the largest education non-profit in Ukraine, Osvitoria, approached War Child to find a solution to reach and teach mathematics and reading to some of their youngest learners.

In September 2022, War Child alongside First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Andrii Vitrenko, deployed the award-winning Can’t Wait to Learn programme in Ukraine.

Since then, the app has been downloaded over 150,000 times, and today there are more than 103,000 active users. A true community is forming with over 4,500 teachers across Ukraine who are receiving monthly updates.

The future of our work in Ukraine

In 2024, War Child and our partners provided vital support to 128,659 children affected by the war in Ukraine, and our impact is continuing to grow.

Our operations have expanded and now includes 15 oblasts across the country: Dnipropetrovska, Kharkivska, Mykolaivska, Zaporizka, Donetska, Sumy, Khmelnytski,Kharkiv, Chernivtsi, Kyivska, Zhytomyrska, Ivano-Frankivska, Rivneska, Lvivska andZakarpatska.

Together with our partners, we will continue to support the war-affected children of Ukraine to thrive.