Many children in Ukraine suffer from severe developmental disorders, which are often due to a lack of or inadequate care in orphanages and the consequences of the current war.
For 25 years, we have been working tirelessly with the team in Uzhgorod to offer these children a new home and a loving, safe environment in foster families.
In close cooperation with the Transcarpathian Youth Welfare Office, the nehemia team searches for, trains and supports local people who are willing to take children into their families. The team plays a central role in this by preparing foster parents for the emotional and practical challenges and supporting them throughout the entire process.
Svitlana Yakimelina, Head of Children’s Services, coordinates important training workshops covering topics such as the role of the family, child development and legal aspects. In 2024, two comprehensive training courses were held for a total of 48 foster families. In addition, professionals were trained on topics such as “burnout prevention”, “psychological first aid” and “protection against sexual exploitation”.
But the support goes further: regular activities for children in orphanages and rehabilitation centers help them to process their traumatic experiences and find a new zest for life. In summer 2024, 40 children from foster families and orphanages took part in two children’s camps, where they received therapeutic support and a much-needed break from everyday life.
Practical help for the foster families is also an important part of the work. For example, one foster grandmother was provided with furniture and necessary household items so that she could live with her grandson (the first child to return from Russian captivity) in a safe and secure home.
Through this holistic support, both the children and the foster families receive the help they need to overcome the traumatic consequences of war, among other things, and to build a stable, hopeful future.
