terre des hommes promotes psychosocial support for traumatized children
Osnabrück/Berlin, February 21, 2024 – For two years, children and young people in Ukraine have been living with death, fear, and destruction. According to the United Nations, at least 560 minors have been killed, and over 1,200 have been injured in the war. More than 19,000 children have been abducted from the occupied territories and taken to Russia; the actual number is likely much higher. Countless children have lost mothers, fathers, or their homes, and must now readjust after fleeing or are unable to attend school. Young people are seeing their dreams for the future shattered.
“No child should have to grow up under such conditions,” says Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of terre des hommes . “One of our most important areas of focus is therefore providing them with psychosocial and therapeutic support. Many children and young people are traumatized by horrific experiences. The longer the war lasts, the greater the risk of a lost generation growing up in Ukraine. Our goal is therefore to mitigate the consequences of this war for the children as much as possible. This is often achieved simply by our Ukrainian partner organizations creating safe spaces where children and young people can play, do crafts, or participate in sports—where they can simply be children and forget about the war for a while.”
terre des hommes works with a network of around 20 local partner organizations and currently supports 13 projects in Ukraine. In addition to providing psychosocial support for children and young people, this includes direct humanitarian aid such as food, medicine, and hygiene products, as well as the integration of families who have had to flee to western Ukraine or neighboring countries. This assistance has been made possible by over €17 million in donations and public funding.
“The need is immense,” emphasizes Joshua Hofert, “I was able to see that for myself during my visit to Ukraine. Donations for Ukraine, however, are declining, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to draw attention to the dramatic situation of the children. We urge the German government and the international community in particular not to waver in their commitment to the rights of Ukrainian children and young people. The best way to do this is by supporting civil society organizations in Ukraine. Reconstruction will only succeed with a strong civil society.”
More information: https://www.tdh.de/was-wir-tun/projekte/europa/ukraine
Contact:
Malgorzata Biczyk, Email: M.Biczyk@ tdh.de
Tel. 030-1663 85387 or 01514 2077346