When war takes away stability, the community provides support: stories from Donetsk region
Every child has the right to safety, development, and support. During war, these rights become even more vulnerable — that is why we work alongside families every day to ensure that assistance is available where it is needed most.
Today we are sharing two stories from the Donetsk region. They are different, but they have something in common: a child who needs care, and adults who do everything they can to protect that child’s rights.
In the first photo is Alisa. She is sitting next to an art therapist: smiling, focused, a little anxious — but no longer as quiet as she was a few months ago.
She is five. Relocation, a new city, and the invisible burden of war have left their mark.
The family turned to our Child-Friendly Space because Alisa barely spoke and needed support from a speech therapist.
Gradually, through art-therapy games, individual sessions, and the work of a psychologist, she began to open up.
Today Alisa laughs with other children, tries new sounds, and feels more confident.
Her mother also received psychological support — to have the strength to be a source of stability.
The family received clothing vouchers and winter assistance — all part of our daily work to ensure that a child’s right to development and health remains protected.
“We saw her blossom. A bit of attention and care — and the child believes in herself again,” says Alisa’s mother.
The next photo shows a different story. Two sisters, Larysa and Nadiia, and four children. Their peaceful daily life ended in 2022, when they left Novoukrainka. In 2024 they had to set out on the road again.
The children are growing up in a reality where home changes more often than the toys in their backpacks. And each time, the adults try to create at least a little stability.
In the new community, the family received comprehensive support: psychological consultations, guidance on the children’s mental health, information about programs for internally displaced persons, and help with registering for financial assistance.
Thanks to this, the family received winter assistance from UNICEF Ukraine and clothing vouchers for the children.
This support helps ensure the child’s right to adequate living conditions and protection — even during war.
“The main thing is not to give up and to support each other,” says Nadiia.
We share these stories because behind each one are real children, real families, and daily steps toward recovery.
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