Give Kindness. Children-to-Children: Bukovynian Holidays 2026

Project Objective

The objective of the project is to provide psycho-emotional support and short-term recovery for children from frontline and frequently shelled regions of Ukraine by organizing a safe, restorative camp outside the active conflict zone.

Target Group

Children living in frontline and frequently shelled regions (Dnipro, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Kyiv) who are children of veterans and volunteers.

This target group was selected because these children experience a double burden: on the one hand, the impact of the security situation and constant threat; on the other, the emotional and psychological consequences of their parents’ involvement in military or volunteer activities, which are often associated with prolonged absences, exhaustion, and secondary trauma within the family.

Total number of beneficiaries: 13 children

Activities

The project includes the organization of a 3-day restorative children’s camp in the Carpathians as a safe environment, removed from active hostilities.

The camp programme includes:

• creative and applied arts workshops;
• active and team-based games;
• outdoor and nature-based activities;
• informal peer-to-peer interaction.

All activities are aimed at reducing psycho-emotional stress and restoring a sense of safety, stability, and positive social interaction.

Expected Results

• creation of a safe space for short-term psycho-emotional recovery of children;
• provision of a change of environment and temporary removal from the context of constant anxiety;
• improvement of children’s emotional well-being through play, creativity, and social interaction;
• piloting of short-term restorative programmes as an effective tool for supporting children from conflict-affected regions.

Achieved Results

In February 2026, within the framework of the project “Give Kindness. Children-to-Children: Bukovynian Holidays,” a pilot three-day recovery camp was organized in the Carpathian region for children from frontline and frequently shelled regions of Ukraine.

The camp brought together 14 children and mothers from the families of veterans and volunteers from Dnipro, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Kyiv. The participants were provided with a safe space away from the war zone, where they could change their environment, rest, reduce psycho-emotional stress, and spend time with peers and adults who share similar experiences.

The camp programme included creative workshops, active and team games, outdoor activities, informal communication, and recovery practices. Special attention was paid to creating an atmosphere of safety, trust, acceptance, and positive interaction.

The pilot format of a short-term recovery programme proved its relevance as a tool for supporting children from war-affected regions. The project demonstrated that even a few days in a safe environment can help children step out of the context of constant anxiety, restore a sense of stability, gain new emotional resources, and experience calm and supportive childhood communication.

Given the continuing need for such support, the Foundation plans to continue the “Give Kindness. Children-to-Children: Bukovynian Holidays” initiative. Fundraising is currently underway to organize the next recovery camps for children from frontline communities. A Memorandum of Cooperation has also been signed with Tetiana Holikova’s Podology Centers, which will help strengthen partnership support for the “Give Kindness. Children-to-Children” and “Give Kindness. Children-to-Children: Bukovynian Holidays” initiatives.