Girl in purple unicorn top standing against a wall in her home
Where we work

Ukraine

Since the war in Ukraine started in 2022, War Child has been providing life-saving support to the millions of children in need.  

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The war in Ukraine continues to cause immense human suffering, loss of life, and widespread destruction. 

Thousands have been killed or injured while civilian infrastructure is relentlessly destroyed including homes, schools, hospitals, water, and power stations.  

Millions of people have been forced to flee the conflict. Over 3.7 million people, more than half children, are internally displaced, and over 6.3 million live in other countries as refugees. 

Children face grim consequences from the conflict. They face family separation, have limited access to basic services including education and health care, and are at risk of diseases. Their traumatic experiences mean they are increasingly likely to experience depression, anxiety and PTSD.   

Scale of the challenge

  • 3.7 M

    People internally displaced, more than half are children

  • 3.3 M

    Children in need of humanitarian assistance

  • 3.6 M

    Children affected by the school closures

Our work in Ukraine

War Child has been working to support those on the frontline in Ukraine since the conflict began in February 2022. We’ve scaled up from our initial emergency response to develop a programme with a strong focus on child protection and mental health support. Our child-centred work supports children both in Ukraine and in neighbouring territories where people are being forced to flee.  

In 2023, we reached 70,557 people in Ukraine and 16,579 in Hungary. 

 

Olga standing in front of a wall.
I remember how our windows in the room were shaking because of the explosions. That’s why we run from home, because of the war. And I had this feeling that we won’t come back home.
Olga, Ukraine.

War Child's programmes include: 

Mental Health Support 

We help children cope with the trauma of conflict through psychological first aid, group art therapy, individual counselling, and our ReachNow programme which proactively identifies children in distress. We particularly focus on children with disabilities and minority groups.  

Support for parents and caregivers 

We help adults create nurturing environments for children through our BeThere and CORE programmes which help parents, caregivers and teachers to reduce their stress, boost their wellbeing and develop coping mechanisms.  

Education 

We provide learning materials and run early learning and emergency education programmes in close collaboration with national governments to ensure children can keep learning.  

Child Protection  

We safeguard the rights and wellbeing of children through child protection interviews including play hubs and child-friendly spaces.  

Local NGO Training 

We strengthen the skills of local NGO staff, training them in mental health support and child protection which empowers them to better support their communities.  

Social Cohesion 

We help Roma families integrate with the broader local communities, promoting inclusivity and cultural exchange via social events and integration sessions.

Return every child

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly taken into Russia. Together, we must bring them home.

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Project focus – Can’t Wait To Learn 

Our Can’t Wait to Learn programme sees children learn by playing educational games on tablet and mobile devices, supporting them both in and outside the classroom. We created the programme with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and NGO Osvitoria to improve children’s maths and reading and help them gain qualifications. In combining mental health support, child protection and education, Can’t Wait to Learn helps children regain trust in themselves and others. To date, we’ve reached 60,000 children with Can’t Wait to Learn both in and outside the country. 

Children playing in Ukraine.
Photo taken by Liset Verberne
We won’t stop until every child living through conflict is safe from harm.  But we can’t do it without you. 

Donate to War Child today and help us be there for children in Ukraine and other conflict zones around the world.

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