Emergency fund for Ukraine: 45,000 people need us

Since Russia declared war on Ukraine, nearly 3,000 schools have been attacked, 420 of them reduced to rubble. A situation that has only worsened since the conflict broke out more than a year ago.

Schools are no longer safe places to continue their education. Since the conflict began, educational institutions have become the target of attacks. The few that try to continue with their classroom activity suffer daily blackouts, power and gas cuts, sounds of anti-aircraft alarms, and on some occasions, they must take shelter to try to keep their lives safe. Other teachers teach their classes online, but damage to the country's entire electrical grid often hinders their operation.

Conveying a sense of normalcy to young children has become a priority. Parents and teachers are joining forces to try to maintain a minimal link to what was their previous day-to-day life. However, this is now a most distressing reality for parents, having to go to pick up their children every time the sirens are activated for possible Russian air strikes. But staying at home is no guarantee of safety either.

Last January, the United Nations launched an appeal to the entire international community to try to help and continue to guarantee the education of Ukrainian children. For as UNICEF's regional director for Europe and Central Asia, Afshan Khan, pointed out, "schools for children provide a crucial sense of structure and security for children. Missing out on learning will have lifelong effects."