By Sarah Slimp | Partnership Development Partner
Healing Through Storytelling, Creativity, and Care
Thanks to your incredible support, from January through April 2025, the Voices of Children Foundation has provided psychological care, creative expression, and moments of joy to 1,908 children and 706 parents across Ukraine.
Because of your generosity, these children (many facing displacement, trauma, and uncertainty) are finding their way back to hope, beginning to heal, and feeling the comfort of connection and belonging once again.
Here are just a few highlights from the many activities we’ve held at our centers, especially in Kyiv:
1. Psychological Support in De-Occupied Areas: Kozyntsi Village
In the de-occupied village of Kozyntsi (Irpin region), our mobile psychological support team worked with local children over five months. Weekly sessions offered emotional support and coping tools to about 40 children in grades two, three, and six.
The final day was bittersweet. One young girl, deeply attached to her psychologist, was hesitant to say goodbye and initially refused to join the group photo. Instead, she asked for a private selfie—to remember the bond they had formed.
Your support helped create these moments of trust, care, and healing.
2. Telling Their Stories: The “Generation” Film Project
In Kyiv, our Storytelling in Cinema program culminated in a powerful moment: the screening of the short film Generation at the Zhovten Cinema. Over five months, director Marysia Nikitiuk and psychologist Daria Parshintseva guided children in processing their emotions and experiences of war by helping them write scripts inspired by their lives.
This journey culminated in a week-long creative lab in the Carpathian Mountains, where the children became co-authors and protagonists, filming their own stories in a deeply personal and collaborative process.
Sofiia, 17, from Kramatorsk (now living in Kyiv due to the war), shared:
“At first, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. But being selected (for this art residency) gave me a sense of purpose again. This project helped me believe in my future.”
Following the premiere, our co-founder Olena Rozvadovska joined an inspiring panel discussion, Growing Up During War, alongside Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk and Olha Aivazovska, head of the board at Civil Network OPORA and expert at the International Institute for Ukrainian Victory. Together, they emphasized the global importance of amplifying children's voices amid war and displacement.
Because of your support, these young storytellers were given the chance to share their voices and have their stories truly heard.
3. Family Bonding Through Food: Culinary Workshops in Kyiv
In March, 15 children and their caregivers gathered at the Chachapuri restaurant in Kyiv to learn how to make khachapuri, the traditional Georgian cheese bread.
Six-year-old Platon and his mother, Kateryna, were among them. She shared:
“I’ve made khachapuri before, but I didn’t know the egg is mixed into the cheese! We learned so much and had such a cozy time together.”
These workshops are more than cooking lessons. They strengthen family bonds, celebrate cultural traditions, and give parents a brief, peaceful escape.
4. Joyful Escapes: KFC Visits & Krayina Mriy Adventures
Thanks to our long-standing partner KFC Ukraine, 20 children from the Liubymivka modular housing settlement (home to displaced families) enjoyed one of their favorite traditions—an outing filled with fun, food, and friendship.
In March, 80 children from vulnerable backgrounds visited the Krayina Mriy Entertainment Center, spending the day immersed in games, laughter, and colorful adventures—some of the first joyful memories they’ve made in a long time.
5. One-Day Intensives: Regional Centers Spring into Action
Across all our regional centers, we held one-day healing intensives for children affected by the war. Designed by psychologists and educators, these programs offered:
These events gave children emotional relief, joyful memories, and a chance to feel like kids again.
Thank You, From All of Us
From the heartfelt words of a teenager who found her voice again to the simple joy of a little boy kneading dough beside his mother, every moment of healing was made possible by you.
In just four months, your support helped us:
You are a part of every healing conversation, every smile, and every hopeful step forward.
With heartfelt gratitude,
The Voices of Children Foundation Team
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
