School ready: How you can support Ukrainian children affected by war

Russia's full-scale war has caused significant economic difficulties for many Ukrainian families. Many people have lost their jobs and had to flee their homes in war zones and find refuge in safer Ukrainian regions. The invasion has particularly affected children who now need extra support.

"Ukraine, like many other countries, faces significant social inequality. Some families cannot provide their children with everything they need for school, especially during the war," says Maria Lomachevska, an activist from the east-central city of Kryvyi Rih. "Regardless of social status and circumstances, every child has the right to a quality education."

A month before the new school year starts in Ukraine, the nationwide activist network Volunteer Community has launched its traditional "Help a Child Pack Their School Bag" campaign for the seventh time.

The community invites everyone to join the initiative and help collect school supplies for needy families. The project's primary goal is to help children from socially vulnerable families start the school year with dignity.

Anyone can participate in the fundraiser. The charity project will run from July 25 to August 25, 2024.

The Volunteer Community network has 32 centers operating in 25 cities across Ukraine. It develops social projects to help older people in need, at-risk children, and people with special needs. The "Help a Child Pack Their School Bag" charity initiative has been organized since 2018. This year, volunteers from 20 Ukrainian cities have joined the effort.

"We can't predict how schooling will proceed, but we need to ensure that it is accessible and well-equipped because our future and our children's future depend on it!" the initiative's organizers say.

Over the month, volunteers will collect school supplies for students from families in need:

• Children from internally displaced families
• Children from low-income families
• Orphans
• Children with disabilities

Whether the learning is remote or in-person, Ukrainian students still have the same program and load during wartime, so they need the same essential school supplies as in peacetime. Necessary items include notebooks (both lined and grid) with 24 pages or more, compasses, protractors, rulers, erasers, scissors, drawing pads, colored pencils, markers, modeling clay, paints, brushes, glue, and colored paper/cardboard, and more.

School supplies can be brought to volunteer centers; their addresses are listed on the website.

You can also support the campaign in the following ways:

• Share information about the campaign on your social media pages, at work, in your neighborhood, and with friends.
• Become a campaign volunteer to help collect, sort, or deliver supplies or organize events (contact the organizers to find out how).
• Become a campaign partner.
• Support the campaign with a donation through the  BERI Foundation. This year, Volunteer Community has teamed up with the foundation to raise funds for backpacks, usually in short supply.

Last year, volunteers in 19 cities across Ukraine spent more than a month collecting school supplies for children from vulnerable communities, displaced families, and large families.

Daria Yefimenko, the coordinator of the Volunteer Community network in Ukraine, shared that last year, the organization held 73 events and involved 162 volunteers in various Ukrainian cities as part of the campaign. These events included educational festivals, workshops, and charity baskets, with 38 partners joining the effort to collect everything needed for the students. The charity project gathered and distributed 97 backpacks and 528 sets of school supplies, benefiting 523 children.

This year, the organizers aim to collect even more—between 700 and 750 sets. They have also changed their approach to meeting specific needs. It is based on requests, so each center has a list of necessary supplies tailored to the students' ages.

Maria Lomachevska, the coordinator of Kryvyi Rih Volunteer Community, notes that the campaign helps children from socially vulnerable families and displaced families feel supported by the community. This assistance allows them to feel more confident and focus on their studies.

"By providing children with the necessary school supplies, we help create equal opportunities for all," says Maria.

The Kryvyi Rih Volunteer Community has participated in the campaign for the sixth time. Each year, they collect about 60 sets of school supplies for socially vulnerable children, and this year, they plan to collect and distribute 60 sets.

Maria Lomachevska shared with Rubryka that within a week of the campaign, a secret benefactor had already provided supplies for 14 complete sets and partially for 16 more sets. Concerned residents of Kryvyi Rih also donated enough supplies for two more complete sets.

Daria Yefimenko says if a city or village in Ukraine doesn't have an official Volunteer Community center, activists can help deliver supplies from other cities if there are requests or a desire to help.

"We are always ready for that, as it means even greater unity toward a common goal," says Daria.

You can also organize a campaign at your school for children in crisis (who attend there). For example, in Kryvyi Rih and other Ukrainian cities, high schools have been participating in the campaign for several years, giving the collected sets to their students from low-income families, displaced families, children with disabilities, and children from families in difficult life situations.

The Volunteer Community believes that the availability and quality of school supplies significantly impact learning. This often happens through the psychological and emotional state of less fortunate children who feel "different" or are pointed out by their classmates.

"We have noticed that a child would study and complete assignments, but unfortunately, they don't have the necessary supplies to do so," says Maria Lomachevska. "Students often poorly understand topics like 'Angle and Its Degree Measure' or 'Circle and Disk' because they lack essential tools like protractors and compasses. This means many children struggle not due to a lack of knowledge but because they don't have the necessary tools. I'm inspired by the thought that I can help change this situation and support many children in overcoming barriers to a successful future." 

Daria Yefimenko notes that this campaign is about making meaningful changes. Even if it boosts the confidence and motivation of just one child, helping them feel dignified and overcome their circumstances, it is a significant achievement.

The "Help a Child Pack Their School Bag" campaign also aims to raise awareness about how providing school supplies can significantly impact a child's development and opportunities. It highlights that sometimes it's not just about giving a fish but about giving a fishing rod and supporting their efforts for the long term.

"The campaign is also about how willing we are to come together to build the future," says Daria. "Especially now, during the war, we urgently need young heroes who will rebuild Ukraine with quality and sincerity after the Victory."