Children of Heroes Launches “Why Does It Rain, Dad?” Campaign for World Children’s Day

To mark World Children’s Day, the Children of Heroes Charity Fund is launching the information campaign “Why Does It Rain, Dad?” to draw attention to children growing up with the loss of one or both parents, and to the psychological and educational consequences of that loss.

Today, more than 14,000 children under the care of the Children of Heroes Charity Fund are left to figure out simple everyday things without their mum or dad by their side. How do I turn on the stove? Why can’t I wash whites with coloured clothes? How do I water the plants properly?

These small “why?” questions used to be part of everyday parental care. After loss, they reveal just how radically a child’s world has changed. The “Why Does It Rain, Dad?” campaign brings together families’ stories and research findings to show that the war has affected not only safety, but also learning, emotional resilience and trust in the future.

Data show that:

• according to PISA 2022 estimates, Ukrainian children have lost on average 1.5–2 years of learning;
• 34% of students in grades 5–7 cannot complete their homework independently;
• according to the “How Are You?” programme (2024–2025), children who have lost one or both parents account for around 65% of all those seeking psychological support;
• the pilot “Future Index” study (2023) found that 44% of surveyed children and adolescents show signs of potential PTSD.

In response, the Children of Heroes Charity Fund is systematically developing its educational and psychological programmes, including:

• Catch-Up Learning for children who need to catch up at school (English, Ukrainian and mathematics; 2,188 children have already completed the courses);
• 679 teenagers preparing for admission: NMT (National Multi-Subject Test) preparation and career guidance;
• 66 children have visited universities in the UK and the USA;
• 33,864 psychological counselling sessions for children and their caregivers, camps with a strong psychosocial component and support groups;
• the Family Helpers model for rapid and targeted response to the needs of each family.

In 2025, 34 specialists with psychotherapeutic training and experience working with trauma and loss are involved in the Fund’s activities. As of November, 33,864 psychological therapy sessions have been delivered to children and their caregivers.

“We understand very clearly: even when Victory Day comes, the need for support will not disappear. The war will echo in children’s hearts and minds for a long time. That is why our strategic priorities are psychological support, self-help skills, education and self-realisation — everything that opens doors to the future for children,” says Tetiana Novytska, CEO of the Children of Heroes Charity Fund.

When the war takes away a mother’s or father’s lessons and care, together we give children back their footing: the ability to ask questions with confidence, plan their day, not fear tests or exams, believe in themselves and, most importantly, dream again. On World Children’s Day — and every other day — it is up to adults to build the psychological and educational foundation that will make these children’s future rich in opportunities.