Maria’s Story: How the support of a mobile team helped a girl regain confidence and inner balance
Maria loves drawing. For her, design is not only about learning but also a way to express herself and feel balance in life. When she chooses colors and thinks through a composition, confidence appears in her eyes. But it was not always like this.
In May 2024, Maria arrived in Kharkiv region with her grandmother. New living conditions, limited space, and differing views among family members created tension, which significantly affected the girl’s health. At that time, the family began receiving support from the specialists of the mobile psychosocial support team of the NGO Responsible Citizens.
The specialists worked systematically. A psychologist helped Maria restore her inner calm, learn to manage emotions, and cope with anxiety. A social worker coordinated contacts with medical services, educational institutions, and volunteers, organizing practical assistance and resources for the family. Together, they created a safe environment where the girl could focus on her studies.
The family received comprehensive support, including multi-purpose cash assistance from the Zaporizhzhia Charitable Foundation “Unity for the Future” and participation in an art rehabilitation activity organized by the Charitable Foundation “Development and Social Justice of Ukraine.”
After returning home following short-term treatment, Maria arranged a small space for learning and creativity. The family began spending more time together, sharing thoughts and supporting one another. Each day the girl felt more confident and emotionally stable. The crisis gradually passed.
The support of the mobile team helped Maria restore her emotional resilience. Today she participates in youth activities, finds friends with similar interests, and discovers new opportunities.
The 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).
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs / OCHA Ukraine
For security reasons, the names of the individuals and some details have been changed.
Більше новин
-
“After shelling, people forget even their loved ones’ phone numbers. Our job is to help them regain stability.”When a missile or drone hits a residential building, it may seem that the worst is already over. In reality, however, the hardest part often begins after the explosion—shock, disorientation, and the loss of a sense of safety. It is at this moment that the mobile teams of the NGO Responsible Citizens deploy to support people in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
-
In the Kharkiv region, teachers are learning tools to support children as part of an educational projectIn the Kharkiv region, the educational project led by the NGO “Responsible Citizens” in partnership with the international organization Save the Children and with the support of the European Union is currently underway. As part of the project, a two-day training session was held for teachers, representatives of educational institutions, and social service professionals.
-
“My journey towards change began quite literally with Nordic walking,” says Olena Rumyantseva, a teacher from Kharkiv“In May, I was fortunate to attend a training session led by Olena Bieloliptseva, the coordinator of educational programs at the NGO ‘Responsible Citize...
-
“This support helps us hold on and brings back hope”Payments are coming to an end for residents of Sumy Oblast who registered for multi-purpose cash assistance in the autumn. This support was organized by the NGO Responsible Citizens in partnership with JERU (a joint initiative of the international organizations Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide) and funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany (AA).
-
Teachers’ training in Kyiv: Addressing educational gaps caused by the warA specialized training session for teachers took place in Kyiv, focusing on overcoming significant learning gaps among students caused by the war. Over the past yea...
-
More Than 300 Families Receive Comprehensive Support in Kharkiv RegionA total of 319 families with children received comprehensive social case management support in seven communities in Kharkiv region. From October 2025 to July 2026, mobile teams of the NGO “Responsible Citizens” helped families overcome crisis situations and access the social, legal and psychological services they needed.
-
Experts from Responsible Citizens NGO Joined a Workshop on Group Cash Transfers and Community Initiatives in KyivThe event was organized by the Alliance of Ukrainian Civil Society Organizations and the Ukrainian Red Cross in partnership with DCA, JERU – Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine, ZOA, and the Cash Working Group (CWG). The programme covered key aspects of GCT implementation: from targeting and application screening to accountability, risk management, and impact assessment.
-
Responsible Citizens NGO Launches a New Project in Partnership with Medico InternationalA project aimed at supporting recently displaced and particularly vulnerable internally displaced persons in communities across Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.