11 years of care: the Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Peaceful Holidays for the Children of Ukraine project helps children rediscover childhood

Back in 2015, it became clear that children living in areas affected by armed conflict were in urgent need of support. War leaves scars on the hearts of Ukraine's youngest citizens. For 11 years, the Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Peaceful Holidays for the Children of Ukraine project has been helping heal these wounds by giving children back their childhood, restoring their faith in the future and inspiring them.

Today, the project operates as a large-scale year-round initiative, with Blogger Camp as one of its key components. It welcomes children who have endured the most difficult experiences: deportation, life under occupation, the loss of parents and shelling. Through creativity, art therapy and learning digital professions, they are encouraged not to dwell on what they have been through but to look towards the future with confidence and hope once again.

"I really love the Camp. The psychologists here are wonderful. They help us open up and not be afraid to speak in front of the camera. During psychology sessions, we draw to develop our imagination. You always experience positive emotions here. I will miss the Camp, but I'll take these happy memories home with me," says 12-year-old Valeriia from the Mykolaiv region.

At the Camp, teenagers do more than just relax – they find like-minded friends, learn digital professions and develop blogging skills under the guidance of experienced mentors. The Camp programme is always active and engaging, offering quests, creative workshops, sports activities and art therapy sessions.

"I like that the atmosphere here is very friendly. There are psychologists who can help when you're struggling, and you can always talk to them. You just feel different here. It's sunny and peaceful," says 16-year-old Vlada from Kharkiv.

Project specialists, who have completed specialised training under the Trauma of War programme, emphasise that the Camp's most important mission is to restore children's sense of safety, inspire them to grow and encourage them to build their future in Ukraine.

"Here, they can simply be children. We can inspire them, motivate them, help them recover and restore their belief in themselves. We don't focus on hardship, grief or everything they have had to endure. Instead, we focus on their inner resources, their own strengths and positive thinking. When we learn to notice beauty around us every day, it improves our quality of life. That is something we truly want to share," explains the Foundation's psychologist, Nina Kushchenko.

Alongside working with professionals, meetings with well-known public figures who visit to support the campers also have a therapeutic effect. Over the years, children have had the opportunity to hear from singers Zlata Ognevich and Svitlana Tarabarova, TV host Oleksii Sukhanov, actress Iryna Kudashova, Mavka. The Forest Song creators Oleh Malamuzh and Yaroslav Voitseshek, as well as singers Alekseev and Khayat. They show children the most important thing: the world is vast, open and waiting for their talents.

The “Blogger Camp” offers activities that help young Ukrainians believe in themselves, relax and recover in the fresh air, make new friends, and look with confidence toward their own future and the future of their country despite today's challenges.

Thanks to the program “Rinat Akhmetov - to Children. Peaceful Holidays for the Children of Ukraine programme, more than 5,000 children from across the country have already had the opportunity to regain their strength, find hope and create new positive memories. Over the years of its work, the Foundation has provided support to more than 6 million children across Ukraine.