Support Children and Families in Ukraine

Dear Friend, 

I hope this message finds you staying safe and well. Thank you again for your incredible support of UNICEF’s work. Your generosity has made a world of difference for vulnerable children and caregivers both within Ukraine and those seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Below is a sample of your impact: 

• 24 Blue Dot Centers are operational with a capacity of reaching 500 kids per day with mental health and psychosocial support, social protection services, education, health and water, sanitation and hygiene services 
• Over 1.5 million people reached with primary health care in Ukraine 
• More than 1.3 million people ensured access to safe drinking water in Ukraine 
• 334,099 children and caregivers in Ukraine reached with face-to-face and online group and individual psychological counseling 

In addition to meeting immediate needs for safe water, health care, protection services and nutrition, UNICEF’s emergency response also includes mental health support for children and their caregivers. Children's mental health and psychosocial support programs have long been a key component of UNICEF's emergency relief efforts for kids living in conflict zones including Syrian, Ethiopian and Rohingya children, among many others. Children who have been uprooted and otherwise traumatized by war require mental health and psychosocial support. 

In the image above taken last month in Medyka, Poland, Kira stands inside a tent after crossing over the border from Ukraine with her mother, Marina, her aunt, and cousins (Kiril, 5, and Dasha, 11). They fled their home city of Sumy, in the northeast of Ukraine, due to constant bombardment, where children were among those killed during attacks. Her family plans to settle, at least temporarily, in the city of Katowice in southern Poland. There are millions of children who are processing seeing war up close like Kira, and with your help, UNICEF and partners are providing them with specialized care. 

That’s why every Blue Dot Center set up by UNICEF and UNHCR, in cooperation with local authorities and partners, contains a designated space where kids can just be kids for a while. These play areas have mental health and psychosocial support workers trained to comfort children and help them recover from the trauma they have experienced. While there, children can play and draw in a child-friendly space stocked with games, toys and art supplies. 

In Partnership, 

Whitney