The Right of the Child to Development and Protection: Stories of Support from Kamianske and Zaporizhzhia
During the war, every childhood story is a separate path toward safety, development, and recovery.
But there is something that unites all the families who turn to our specialists: the need for support that protects the child’s rights every day.
Kamianske. Matvii’s family changed their place of residence many times after his father was injured during shelling in Sievierodonetsk. Due to constant relocations, the boy did not attend kindergarten, had almost no communication with peers, and faced difficulties at school.
Specialists from NGO “Responsible Citizens” assessed the child’s psycho-emotional state, helped Matvii learn to recognize and regulate his emotions, and master self-stabilization techniques. A psychologist also worked with his mother to reduce her anxiety and provide practical tools to support her son.
The teacher received recommendations on how to interact with the boy and organize a safe educational environment.
The results came quickly: Matvii became more attentive and calm, better controlled his emotions, and relationships in the classroom noticeably improved. The family also received financial assistance, a clothing voucher, and a hygiene kit.
Zaporizhzhia.
When Khrystyna Tkachenko and her three-year-old daughter Alina left Velyka Bilozerka, they found themselves in a new city without support. Alina had difficulties with speech sounds, and her mother felt severe emotional exhaustion — something many single parents experience during forced internal displacement.
In Zaporizhzhia, the family turned to the Child-Friendly Space operating within a UNICEF Ukraine project implemented by NGO “Responsible Citizens.” Here, Alina began sessions with a speech therapist, Khrystyna received psychological support, and joint art-therapy sessions helped them both regain a sense of safety. Thanks to the specialists’ comprehensive work, Alina became more confident, improved her pronunciation, and Khrystyna became calmer and less anxious. After another shelling, when the girl’s fears returned and stuttering appeared, the Child-Friendly Space team quickly provided additional support and helped stabilize her condition.
“Here we found the belief that everything will be alright,” the mother says.
Both of these stories are about different families, different challenges, and different paths to safety. But they share one thing: the protection of a child’s rights does not stop even during war. When specialists are nearby and ready to support a family, a child’s right to development, emotional resilience, education, and care becomes real — not merely declarative.
Більше новин
-
Expressive Arts Sessions for Children Are Held in Child-Friendly Spaces in Communities of Kharkiv RegionThe project is implemented by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” in partnership with the international humanitarian organisation Save the Children in Ukraine, with the generous support of the American people through the Government of the United States.
-
In Brussels, Head of the Board of NGO “Responsible Citizens,” Olga Kosse, participated in presenting the final proposals for Ukraine’s post-war reconstructionThe proposal package from civil society representatives is the result of over six months of research conducted by the Center for Social and Labor Relations, support...
-
Support is underway in communities of the Kharkiv Region to assist children and families affected by the warIn partnership with Save the Children in Ukraine, and with the generous support of the American people provided through the Government of the United States of America, activities are being implemented to strengthen child protection, support children’s well-being, and improve families’ access to psychosocial services.
-
Launching new project Lives 3.0Our team has launched a new project, LIVES 3.0, which will cover four regions in Eastern Ukraine. The project is implemented under the same-name program in partners...
-
Inclusive Education Project Launches in 10 Schools in Zaporizhzhia RegionOver the next 3.5 months, the team from the NGO Responsible Citizens will work with students with special educational needs and disabilities, as well as with the specialists who support them.
-
Spaces, mobile teams, support: daily help for families in Kharkiv RegionDespite the daily challenges of war, a dedicated team of professionals in Kharkiv region continues to deliver essential social services to children and families. This work is part of the UNICEF Ukraine project “Strengthening community capacity to provide essential protection and resilience services in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions,” implemented by the NGO "Responsible Citizens."
-
“In all the years of war, this is the first time I’ve received assistance,” shared 63-year-old Natalia Mykolaivna from Kehychivka in the Kharkiv regionWhen the full-scale invasion began, Natalia and her family made the decision to stay home. Besides the difficulty of leaving their home, where they had lived their ...
-
Residents of frontline communities in Kharkiv Oblast received more than UAH 4 million in assistanceThe implementation of the short-term project “Multi-sectoral humanitarian response and support for essential services in hard-to-reach communities of Kharkiv Oblast” has been completed in frontline communities of Kharkiv Oblast.