Save the Children – ‘I want this war to end’: Children from Ukraine share their messages of hope

Children from Ukraine have asked for more humanitarian support and peace for their homeland so they can return to normal life in “Messages of Hope”, an initiative launched by Save the Children to encourage children living in Ukraine to amplify their voices around the globe.

As part of the project, people across the world – from New Zealand, the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, Portugal, Ireland, Vietnam, Singapore, and Taiwan – sent words of support and solidarity to families in Ukraine who have faced 15 months of full-scale war. Children from Ukraine were also encouraged to express their most acute needs and aspirations in letters that will be shared with Save the Children supporters, as well as world leaders and international organisations.

“I respectfully turn to you and want to thank you for your support and help. I want us to return to our normal lives as soon as possible,” said a letter signed as ‘from Zhenya-’.

Another one, an anonymous message, pointed out: ” Dear helpers, I want to ask you to continue to support us with the organisations you create. This assistance prevents us from falling, both morally and physically. Thanks to you, a wonderful organisation for children with great educators and workers appeared in our town. More than anything , I want the war to end, because the daily deaths of innocent children weigh heavily on our hearts.”

The presentation took place at a Save the Children Digital Learning Centres in a small town in Kyiv region, where families lived through weeks of brutal hostilities in the early stages of the war. Before writing letters of their own, children attending took part in a quiz about the countries where the letters originated from, and then opened the envelopes with the ‘Messages of Hope’.

“I really liked that in such a challenging time, other children and adults worry about us. When I read the letter, I thought I was going to cry”, 11-year-old Serhiy-said.

Valentyn-, 17, said “They [people across the world] do not forget, they know what it is like in Ukraine, that there is a full-scale war going on, probably the whole Internet now sees how terrible it is. Because children die every day, innocent people who do not deserve such treatment.”

“Every child in Ukraine – and there are 7.5 million of them – has been affected by this war. Children have fled brutal fighting and spent months in shelters hiding from missiles and shelling. They have seen their homes destroyed and loved ones hurt. Many have been forcibly separated from their families and have become victims of assault themselves.

“Nonetheless, the resilience of children from Ukraine never ceases to amaze. And a thing as simple as a heartening word can do wonders to them. Yet, they still need our support in every possible way, as the lingering battle has already pushed half the families in Ukraine on the brink of survival.

“This war is wearing everybody down, but for aid organisations like Save the Children, there is no room to back down. The world must step up so and strengthen its support for the most vulnerable of human beings in Ukraine.”

Save the Children calls on all parties to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, and to ensure full, unhindered humanitarian access to families caught up in the crisis. Humanitarian access in all conflict-affected areas of Ukraine is essential for assisting and protecting children.

• -Names changed to protect identity

• For the ‘Messages of Hope’ project, Save the Children invited the organisation’s supporters from around the world to write a message of support and solidarity to children in Ukraine whose lives have been severely affected by the war. Hundreds of people from countries including the United States, Mexico, Canada, France, Portugal, Ireland, New Zealand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Taiwan wrote to let children know they were thinking of them, and that they were not forgotten. The messages were later translated into Ukrainian and delivered to the children who Save the Children supports in Ukraine.

• According to the United Nations, 17.7 million people in Ukraine, including 4.1 million children, need urgent humanitarian assistance with basic necessities such as shelter, food, and clean water, with 4 of 5 people having needs ranging from severe to catastrophic.

• Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014. As the war escalated, the aid organisation has scaled up our operations. Since 24th February, our team in Ukraine has reached about 850,000 people – including more than half a million children. We are working closely with 26 partners to provide life-saving assistance such as food and water, cash transfers, and safe spaces, to make sure children and families impacted by this crisis have the support they need. Our specialist teams are also delivering social and recreational services through our Child Friendly Spaces, helping children access safe, inclusive, quality education, and working with schools and community centres to deliver Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS).