Art as a lifeline: How mobile teams empower children in remote Ukrainian communities

10-year-old Daria lives with her mother, Hanna, in the village of Havrylivka, Kharkiv region. In this remote settlement of the Barvinkivska community, home to fewer than two thousand people, a mobile team from UNICEF and the NGO “Responsible Citizens” regularly visits. The team includes a social worker, a psychologist, and an art therapist.

Several times a week, mobile teams travel to hard-to-reach areas of the Kharkiv region, providing essential social and psychological support to families with children who otherwise have no access to such services. A key focus is helping children who study exclusively online and lack opportunities for extracurricular activities or psychological relief.

“My favorite thing is painting. I spend all my free time with my paints. I love creating pictures of people, animals, and my favorite characters,” Daria shares confidently. Now in sixth grade, she has been studying remotely for the past three years.

During one of their visits, the mobile team noticed Daria’s artistic talent and gifted her a set of paints, brushes, and sketchbooks. Later, they arranged for her to meet Lana Ra, a renowned Ukrainian artist, who now mentors Daria, helping her grow her talent.

“I dream of my daughter having more learning opportunities and for her biggest wish — to meet a famous artist — to come true,” says Hanna, Daria’s mother.

The team’s psychologists emphasize that creative expression plays a crucial role in helping children restore emotional balance and make progress in their studies.

The support offered by these mobile teams is vital for families in Eastern Ukraine, especially in communities close to the frontlines, where the threat of shelling is constant. Across the region, 52 mobile teams operate in 37 communities, providing life-saving assistance to families in need.

This initiative is part of UNICEF’s project in Ukraine, in partnership with the NGO “Responsible Citizens,” focused on delivering comprehensive services to families with children in remote communities.