PRESS RELEASE
Young Ukrainians want to get involved in their country
Osnabrück/Berlin, May 29, 2026 – For many years, young people in Ukraine have been growing up under extremely difficult circumstances. The Russian war in Donbas since 2014, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the Russian invasion in 2022 have shaped the lives of an entire generation. It is often overlooked that many young people would be willing to contribute to their country's society even under these circumstances, if given the opportunity.
To this end, a representative survey of 2,000 participants aged 18-26 was conducted by Terre des Hommes partner organization NUMO to understand their interests, wishes, and ideas. The results showed that over 60 percent of the Ukrainians surveyed participated in social activities in the previous year, but that only a few young people are actually active in clubs, movements, or subcultures. Furthermore, according to the respondents, there are too few spaces and opportunities for shared activities.
The full study with detailed results can be found here
“We see Russia’s horrific attacks on Ukraine every day. What we often overlook is that there are many young people who want to get involved in society and do something to counter this, but they have few opportunities to do so. A democratic society needs this kind of engagement,” says Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes . “The results of the study show that these young people want to get involved if spaces and opportunities are created now with the help of Ukrainian partner organizations and other funding providers.”
Since the start of the open war in February 2022, Terre des Hommes has been supporting partner organizations in Ukraine. In addition to humanitarian aid and psychosocial services, a key focus is on the participation and involvement of young people. Therefore, on the occasion of International Children's Day on June 1, 2026, an online debate entitled "Childhood in Times of War – Voices of Children from Kharkiv and Dnipro" will take place, jointly organized with the partner organization Libereco.