According to the UNHCR, as of December 31, 2023, the number of Ukrainian refugees registered in Europe stood at 5,953,500, including a large number of children.

As a result of this dramatic situation, orphans evacuated from Ukraine often suffer from psychological trauma and have medical problems such as illnesses requiring ongoing treatment or dental problems. They also find themselves in a foreign country and often feel alone and disconnected from their normal lives.

In this context, the Ruslan Shostak Charitable Foundation has launched the “Childhood Without War” initiative, which aims to support Ukrainian orphans evacuated to Turkey and facilitate their adaptation to a new life.

Goals

This project aims to provide Ukrainian orphans aged between 4 and 18 living in Turkey with the necessary psychological, medical and social assistance, and to help them adapt to a new life.

Activities

Providing Ukrainian orphans :

• A safe place and living conditions on the special arranged territory in Turkey;
• Individual and group psychological assistance;
• Nutrition;
• Medical assistance, insurance and free dental care;

The logistical costs of internal transport for the orphans (e.g. to see a doctor) and the rotational travel of the orphanage educators from Ukraine to Turkey and back would also be included.

Myriad Canada is working with the Ruslan Shostak Charitable Foundation on this project, a charitable organization created at the initiative of the famous Ukrainian businessman Ruslan Shostak, dedicated to safeguarding the lives and well-being of vulnerable children affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Foundation wants Ukraine to always remain independent, free and successful, and this requires a healthy generation capable of creating all the conditions for a happy life within the country and becoming a model on the international stage.

The Foundation’s teams have already successfully carried out large-scale evacuations, moving more than 2,700 orphans and vulnerable children from conflict zones to safety. This included coordinating 9 aircraft, over 90 buses and 24 train cars, ensuring the safety and well-being of children during their journeys. The staff is also experienced in providing comprehensive care to children in crisis situations. In 2022 alone, they sheltered and cared for 2,736 orphans and their caregivers, including more than 200 children with special needs, using €4.6 million in funding. This included shelter, three nutritious meals a day, medical care and access to education.