Kids are Our Greatest Treasure: How ISAR Ednannia Supported Children with Cancer

The war significantly disrupted access to education, medical treatment, and social services for children with cancer. Many families had to relocate to continue treatment, while others remained in dangerous areas. The war also complicated efforts to deliver aid and coordinate charitable support.

In 2022, ISAR Ednannia supported the public organization Sumy-based "Parents of Children with Cancer" and enhanced their ability to provide quality services to families with children battling cancer. This initiative included developing digital information and communication resources, organizing in-person art therapy sessions, and holding meetings with psychologists to increase parents' awareness of social and legal support issues.

Thanks to the support from ISAR Ednannia's "Emergency Support to Civil Society Projects" grants competition, "Parents of Children with Cancer" conducted a series of psychological sessions from December 2022 to March 2023. 16 parents and 10 children in the hematology department of the Sumy Regional Children's Clinical Hospital attended these sessions.

Marina Volkova, a mother of a child with cancer, shared her experience of the psychological and art therapy sessions: "Spending two months in the pediatric oncology department feels like life has come to a standstill. It was challenging to engage my daughter in anything beyond pain, tears, and long-term treatment. But after just one session with the art therapist, my daughter began to smile, plan her next session, and choose clothes for the meeting. When I attended a session myself, I understood her enthusiasm. Meetings with psychologist Victoria Ratyeva helped me not to focus solely on my daughter's illness — it’s all temporary. I realized that I also need to take care of myself because my child needs a happy, confident mother."

As part of their support efforts, the "Parents of Children with Cancer"  team offered counseling services to Sumy Oblast people and created and distributed informational leaflets about the organization's assistance and activities. Overall, the project reached 5,000 Ukrainians.

"I felt the impact of the project's meetings. Group psychological practices helped me initiate changes within myself, which I noticed both internally and externally. I allowed myself to focus more on my identity as a woman. Special thanks go to the children's art therapy - the necessity for our kids. These sessions bring variety into their lives, lift their spirits, and prepare them for positive changes. I am grateful to everyone involved in organizing these events and look forward to future meetings," expressed Julia Romanyuk, a mother of a child with cancer who has been undergoing tough treatment for a year, has experience receiving international medical services, and whose child's father is in the military and currently in a combat zone.

The project, implemented by the public organization "Parents of Children with Cancer," aimed to enhance the capacity to provide quality services to families raising children with cancer and young people with disabilities who had experienced childhood cancer. This was achieved through the creation of digital information and communication resources and made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with the Ukrainian Center of Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). The contents are not the responsibility of ISAR Ednannia and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

People Arrived to Us with Just One Bag in Their Hands: Lviv Shelter Received Over 1,100 Ukrainians Fleeing War, Supported by ISAR Ednannia

In March 2022, as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians sought refuge in western Ukraine to escape the dangers of the ongoing war, the people and organizations in Lviv rose to the occasion, extending their support to the newly displaced. One notable example is the Charity Foundation Your Support, which swiftly launched the Your Support Shelter Project in Lviv that same month. Addressing the urgent need for safety and temporary shelter, this initiative offered a sanctuary of calm and support for those affected by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The shelter was meticulously designed to meet the needs of those forced to abandon their homes. It featured well-equipped resting rooms, spacious kitchens, children's playrooms, and interactive learning zones. Every detail was thoughtfully considered to ease the lives of the displaced. Beyond providing a place to rest, the shelter ensured access to essential hygiene and comfort items, preserving the dignity of individuals during their most challenging times.

"The Your Support Shelter in Lviv offers a place where displaced Ukrainians can temporarily stay and decide what to do next. Many have lost their homes and belongings. People arrived with just one bag in their hands, containing everything they managed to salvage", – said the shelter's director Lyubov Voznyak.

Since its inception, the Your Support Shelter project has provided temporary homes and safety to 4,500 individuals. Additionally, through a grant from ISAR Ednannia, the shelter's basic services have been utilized by 1,116 Ukrainian men and women (684 adults and 432 children).

Viktor Ponomarenko, born in 1959 and formerly an ambulance driver in Bahmut, Donetsk Oblast, shared his harrowing rescue story: “My mother was eighty-six years old. I carried her in my arms, she couldn't walk. They beat us, but we survived. We hid in the basement, I carried her there in my arms. Mother is the mother, I would never abandon her. They took us away in a bus.”

"I like it here. I am very grateful to them (editors – volunteers) and didn't forget about us (editors – those from Donetsk and occupied territories). Many thanks to everyone! Support is very precious. If they support us, it makes things easier both on the front lines and throughout Ukraine," says Victor, expressing his gratitude for the shelter conditions and the project organizers.

During the ISAR Ednannia’s grant period, initiated by Your Support, 353 beneficiaries participated in anonymous project surveys. An impressive 98.5% of respondents indicated satisfaction with the living conditions and the services provided by the staff.

Your Support Shelter Project is implemented by the Charitable Foundation "Your Support" and made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with the Ukrainian Center of Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). The contents are not the responsibility of ISAR Ednannia and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Who Saves One Life, Saves the World: How NGO "Vyvezemo" Managed to Evacuate Over 2,000 Ukrainians from Besieged Mariupol

At the end of February 2022, Mariupol became the epicenter of a brutal and bloody battle, causing its residents to lose contact with each other.

Denis Minin, a Mariupol resident, presenter, journalist, and volunteer, was in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, while his parents remained in Mariupol. Within a few days, communication with them was lost. Determined to rescue his loved ones, Minin began organizing a group of individuals who wanted to reach Mariupol using their transport to save their relatives and friends.

Against all odds, he succeeded. Soon, the first convoy departed from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol. Fully aware of the high risks and the enemy's cruelty, each volunteer knew they might never return. Despite the danger, they pressed on with their mission.

This was the starting point for the NGO "Vyvezemo". Concerned volunteers united to help evacuate people from the besieged Mariupol. Later, this initiative grew into a large-scale humanitarian effort.

"One of our first buses returned, but the next four were stranded in occupied territory. Two drivers were captured in Olenivka, and one narrowly survived a tank battle, receiving treatment in Donetsk. Our start was bleak, making us question whether to continue," recalls the head of the NGO "Vyvezemo" Denis Minin.

The evacuation efforts were fraught with danger. The risks of crossing borders, the unpredictability and cruelty of Russian forces, and the individual needs and health conditions of the evacuees were all significant challenges.

Despite these difficulties, people joined the NGO "Vyvezemo" team. Over two years, the team grew from 5 activists and 15 volunteers to 9 team members and 25 volunteers, some of whom risked their lives by continuing to live in temporarily occupied territories. The demand for help also increased, with approximately 5.000 people evacuated from Mariupol and the occupied territories in 2022.

Gradually, the number of people seeking assistance grew. Since its inception, the NGO "Vyvezemo" has evacuated 7,000 individuals from Mariupol and temporarily occupied territories. In June 2023, recognizing the need for additional support, Denis Minin reached out to ISAR Ednannia and successfully participated in the "Basic Support for CSOs Working in Humanitarian Response" competition.

This support enabled the team to achieve remarkable results in just six months. From September 2023 to March 2024, NGO "Vyvezemo" evacuated 2.087 people and 207 animals from Mariupol, temporarily occupied, and frontline Ukrainian territories. Additionally, 4,130 Ukrainians in frontline villages of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast received humanitarian aid, including food packages, clothing, hygiene items, and medications. Furthermore, 5, 550 internally displaced persons in the Cherkasy Oblast received humanitarian packages, clothing, hygiene items, and medicines.

Ksenia, 25, survived the blockade of Mariupol, but her tattoo made escaping the occupied territory significantly more difficult. In the autumn of 2022, Russian servicemen in Mariupol brutally beat her because they perceived her tattoos as "Nazi symbols."

Fearful of leaving the occupied territory, Ksenia hesitated due to the checkpoints manned by the Russian military, representatives of the so-called "people's republics," and special services, who could notice her tattoos and subject her to violence again. Volunteers from NGO "Vyvezemo" consulted with her, reassured her, and helped her plan a safe route. They used Google to help her understand and explain the meaning of her tattoo. With their support, Ksenia gained the confidence to leave the occupied territory.

In October 2023, Ksenia finally breathed the air of free Ukraine and reunited with her family.

"The cruelty of the enemy is unforgettable. It's my trauma for life. I counted the days until departure, but I was so afraid. 'Vyvezemo' planned and made possible my evacuation. Thank you! I will remember my rescue for the rest of my life," says Ksenia, with tears in her eyes.

The evacuation and assistance project implemented by the NGO "Vyvezemo" is of immense importance to the affected and displaced people, as it has saved the lives of many Ukrainians. Supported by ISAR Ednannia and USAID, the project showcases the courage, determination, and quick self-organization of Ukrainians. After all, their home is Ukraine.

The activities of the NGO "Vyvezemo" are supported by ISAR Ednannia through the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) within the Ukraine Civil Society Sectoral Support Activity implemented by ISAR Ednannia in partnership with the Ukrainian Center of Independent Political Research (UCIPR) and Centre for Democracy and Rule of Law (CEDEM). The contents are not the responsibility of ISAR Ednannia and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.