“The Future Starts Here”: New Project Launched to Support Fund’s Beneficiaries with Assistance from the International Charity “SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine”

The “Children of Heroes” Charity Fund, with the assistance of the International Charity “SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine,” has launched the project “The Future Starts Here: Psychosocial Support and Development for Children in Communities through Care, Education, and Unity.” The initiative will run from August 15 to November 30 and will reach over 1,000 participants in the Poltava, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kharkiv regions. This includes more than 318 children who have lost one or both parents as a result of the war, their legal guardians, and 45 of the foundation’s specialists.

The war has brought irreparable losses to thousands of children, including the death of parents, forced displacement, and interrupted schooling. These events pose serious risks to their emotional development and social integration. The “The Future Starts Here” project aims to provide comprehensive support to children through psychosocial, educational, and social programs that will aid in their recovery and harmonious development.

The initiative includes the following activities:

• Emotional Recovery Project: 100 children aged 7–16 will spend 7 days in the Carpathian Mountains. The program includes art therapy sessions, workshops, sports games, evening reflections, and excursions.
• Speech Therapy Support: 30 children with speech impairments will attend an individual course of 24 online sessions.
• Addressing Learning Loss: 188 children will participate in an online mathematics course.
• Sexual Education and Anti-Bullying: At least 50 participants (30 children and 20 family representatives) will gain knowledge through three interactive lectures.
• Professional Training for Specialists: 45 foundation employees will complete online courses and supervision sessions to help them more effectively support affected families.

By joining forces with the International Charity “SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine,” the Fund is able to enhance the effectiveness of its assistance, ensuring every child who has experienced loss has a chance for care, support, and a happy future.

This material was created within the project “Protection and Mental Health Support for Vulnerable Children in Ukraine,” implemented by SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine @sos_cv_ukraine with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) @noradno.

The materials developed within the project do not necessarily reflect the official position of SOS Children’s Villages.