Not to betray the heroes: how Ukraine cares about children of fallen soldiers and how many requests for help the foundation has received

The Children of Heroes Foundation has already received more than 9,000 requests for various types of assistance for children who lost one or both parents during the full-scale war in Ukraine.

The Foundation told UNN about the opportunity to participate in the Save the Childhood charity initiative, a free children's camp for children of fallen heroes.

I went to the war as a volunteer with the idea that if something happened to me, my state would take care of my children

The foundation said that as of now, it is known from open sources that more than 10,000 children were orphaned during the full-scale invasion. However, charitable foundations consider this figure to be extremely underestimated. The Children of Heroes Foundation alone has already received more than 9,000 requests for various types of assistance for children who lost one or both parents during the full-scale war in Ukraine.

It is noted that the children of fallen heroes, as well as their families, need special attention, because the pace of life and responsibility often do not allow them to fully live through the grief and understand how to move on. They learn to interact in a new way not only with the world, but often with each other.

Orphans experience aggression, pain, and isolation, which are often exacerbated by a depressive episode in their mother: she may not look them in the eye, avoid talking, and close herself off, which the children take personally, looking for reasons in themselves.

The war continues and claims the lives of the best, which means that the number of children who will now grow up without a father or mother will increase. This means that the government, charitable foundations, and other projects have an important task to help children not only cope with grief, but also strengthen their identity and faith in themselves and the future of Ukraine

One of the projects that helps mothers and children recover emotionally after the death of a parent is the Save the Childhood charity initiative, a free children's camp. It took place in early September in the Italian city of Silva.

100 children, including the wards of Okhmatdyt, were able to relax in a safe space without air raids, explosions and emotional pressure. They bathed in the sea, talked to a psychologist, watched a movie under the night sky, did exercises, sang with artist Nastya Balog, and generally got an emotional release.

While the children talked to their peers, who understood their condition better than anyone else, the mothers had time to live through their grief and find the strength to move on.

The next charity camp is planned for the first quarter of 2025. In the meantime, mothers with children can get free help: from basic necessities or mentoring for the child to psychological and legal support. Find out more about the opportunities here.