“At the very moment when we needed it most, help came to us,” — Maryna from Novodonetske
The mobile psychosocial support team of the NGO “Responsible Citizens” first visited Maryna’s family in the autumn. Such teams continue to support families with children in remote and frontline settlements, where there is often no access to essential services. During another visit to Novodonetske, our team met Maryna’s warm and friendly family.
“My older son Nikita is already 17, and the younger one, Artem, is 9. He is in the fourth grade and has been studying online for all four years. That means he has never once sat at a school desk or had the opportunity to attend classes together with his peers,” Maryna says. Until 2023, she worked at the local cultural center, but due to the security situation all institutions stopped operating. The last few months in Novodonetske have been especially tense.
“It became really hard, to be honest. Shelling became more frequent. I saw that it was getting harder and harder for the children. Friends began to leave, and earlier the younger one used to attend a football club, but now even that is gone. So he communicates with his peers only through a laptop. It worried me a lot! That is why help was truly necessary for us, and we are very glad that we met your team’s specialists. They immediately found an approach to the children, established contact, and selected activities. What can I say — now the younger son constantly asks when the girls will come again,” Maryna shares.
From the mobile team, the family from Novodonetske received comprehensive support. A psychologist conducted an assessment of the children’s condition in a play-based format, organized special stress-relief sessions to reduce psychological strain, and provided the parents with practical tools to improve their own well-being and support their children. In addition, Maryna’s family received the necessary assistance to prepare for winter. They have already used two vouchers for new children’s clothing.
“Honestly, for us it is like a breath of fresh air in this whole situation. We are very grateful for such support, because we truly felt how professionally the specialists approached our story and helped us exactly when it was most needed,” Maryna says.
The work is carried out within the framework of the UNICEF Ukraine project “Strengthening Community Capacity to Deliver Essential Protection and Resilience Services in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions,” implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” with the support of the Government of the United States of America.
Більше новин
-
Charity festival “Dnipro. All Our Own”: Uniting to support children and families in DniproDnipro hosted the charity festival “Dnipro. All Our Own,” which brought together civil society organizations, charitable foundations, entrepreneurs, and city residents around an important goal — helping internally displaced persons (IDPs) and families that include people with disabilities. The festival fostered an atmosphere of support, mutual assistance, and hope, which is especially important in today’s circumstances.
-
LIVES 3.0: Project Outcomes Supporting Communities Affected by ConflictFor over six months, the team of "Responsible Citizens," in collaboration with international partners, has been implementing the LIVES 3.0 project. This initiative aims to support residents in eastern Ukraine affected by the war.
-
Specialists from the NGO “Responsible Citizens” participated in Inclusion WeekThe event was organized by Mercy Corps in partnership with Alliance.Global and Humanity and Inclusion. This event focused on discussing inclusive approaches to supp...
-
Head of the Board of NGO “Responsible Citizens” Olga Kosse participates in Leadership Training for NGO LeadersThe Slovak organization Hekima recently hosted representatives from 25 leading Ukrainian NGOs in Košice, all of whom are actively engaged in the humanitarian field....
-
September 1 marks the launch of a new project by Responsible Citizens NGO in collaboration with the Government of the Faroe IslandsThe new initiative aims to address educational losses among students in eastern Ukraine who have been unable to fully engage with their curricula.
-
Assistance for War-Affected Communities in Kharkiv Region: Launch of a Joint Program with JERU PartnersResponsible Citizens NGO is launching a new project in partnership with JERU – a joint initiative of the international organizations Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide. The project is funded by the UHF.
-
Maria’s Story: How the support of a mobile team helped a girl regain confidence and inner balanceThe project “Comprehensive Multi-Sectoral Assistance for Vulnerable Families in Kharkiv Region” is implemented by the NGO Responsible Citizens in partnership with the Charitable Foundation “Unity for the Future” and the Charitable Foundation “Development and Social Justice of Ukraine” with financial support from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).
-
NGO “Responsible Citizens” became the winner in the nomination “Light of Knowledge: Charity in the Name of the Future” at the forum “Donetsk Region 2025: A Look into the Future.”The forum became an important platform for strengthening dialogue between the state, local authorities, and the civic sector.