On June 28 in Stryi, the second charity workshop "Ticket to IT" was held as part of the Build Up initiative by Favbet Foundation. The event brought together 53 teenagers from vulnerable backgrounds — including children of internally displaced persons (IDPs), military families, orphans, and participants from small villages and families under the care of social services.
This workshop followed the successful launch of "Ticket to IT" in Kyiv, which helped teens take their first steps toward high-demand digital careers.
Throughout the day, participants explored 12 different areas in the tech industry — from programming and software testing to cybersecurity, UI/UX design, and robotics. The format prioritized hands-on learning in small groups, live interaction with professionals, and real-world tasks. Some sessions were led by students of Gofriends IT Academy — tech-savvy teens who are already pursuing careers in IT and serve as role models for their peers.
The Build Up initiative is part of the broader IT Kids program by Favbet Foundation, which has been providing access to modern IT education for children and teenagers across Ukraine since 2023.
In its inaugural year, the foundation launched "New Python", a course developed in partnership with Code Club Ukraine, which was successfully completed by 352 students, including 156 children from military and displaced families.
This was followed by a large-scale Scratch programming course that enabled 780 children from all over Ukraine to master the basics of coding. To date, over 1,100 children have benefited from these free Python and Scratch courses.
"We strongly believe that access to quality education should not depend on a child’s place of residence or social status. That’s why all our IT Kids programs are completely free and specifically designed to reach those who might never have considered a future in tech. We are deeply grateful to our partners at Code Club and GoFriends for their incredible support," — said Andrii Matiukha, President of Favbet Foundation.
For many teens, "Ticket to IT" was their first hands-on experience with the digital world — guided by experienced mentors and inspired by peers already making strides in the tech industry.
At the end of the event, all participants received invitations to free courses and a summer IT camp hosted by GoFriends IT Academy. The camp provides a unique opportunity for teens to deepen their programming skills, develop their own mini-projects in teams, go through assessments, and even qualify for extended educational programs at the Academy — all at no cost to families.
And this is just the beginning. According to Andrii Matiukha, the Favbet Foundation is committed to expanding its support for Ukrainian youth by offering free access to high-quality tech education. The foundation has already contributed to IT development in Ukraine by providing modern computer equipment to schools in war-affected communities — ensuring that children, regardless of circumstance, have a chance to learn and grow.
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