“An Architecture of Opportunities”: How Blogger Camp Helps Children Affected by War Recover

Anxiety, fear, uncertainty, and the loss of a sense of security — this is the mark that war leaves on the lives of Ukrainian children. That is why the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Blogger Camp creates an environment that helps children affected by the war and those returned from occupation recover, open up, and believe in the future again.

Through a combination of psychological support, creative activities, teamwork, and training in modern skills, teenagers gradually improve their emotional well-being, become more open and self-confident, and find the motivation to move forward.

“This is a generation of children who were forced to grow up far too soon. On the day they arrive, we meet confused children who struggle with trust and carry negative experiences. But by the time they leave, they are completely different children. Their way of thinking and their attitude toward life have changed. Through the Blogger Camp project, we see how the decision of one person creates an architecture of opportunities for a huge number of people. These are 10 days of joy, happiness, and safety,” says Iryna Deineka, Coordinator of Blogger Camp within the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Peaceful Rest for Children of Ukraine project.

Children who arrive carrying the burden of traumatic wartime experiences are immediately supported by qualified psychologists. Working under the specialized War Trauma program, the experts help teenagers process painful memories, significantly reduce anxiety levels, and stabilize their emotional state.

“What I see during these sessions are very profound transformations. The children are growing up right before our eyes. I work with teenagers aged 15 to 16. This is a very important age from a psychological perspective, when the question of choosing a future profession already arises. At this stage, it is important for them to understand their own strengths and resources. That is why we help children develop skills that are extremely valuable in life,” explains Yuliia Kriuchkova, psychologist at the Foundation.

The Blogger Camp program is filled with quests, sports competitions, creative workshops, and art therapy activities. As a result, children leave the camp with vivid memories, new dreams, and concrete plans for achieving them.

“We gained knowledge, confidence, support, strength, and completed a career guidance course. I want to thank everyone for these 10 days. Here, I am surrounded by great company and wonderful mentors,” says 16-year-old Maryna from Kharkiv.

Together with mentors and invited celebrities, campers also learn how to create content, work with media, and master the fundamentals of blogging. In just 10 days, the children become a real team, and they carry that feeling with them long afterward.

“Here, I became braver and overcame my social anxiety because I used to be afraid of meeting new people. There are amazing psychologists here whom you can talk to privately. Projects like this help you take a break from the war. At the camp, I learned how to turn my dreams into goals because during our psychology sessions we are often taught how to act in the right way,” admits 15-year-old Maryna from Kryvyi Rih.

Thanks to the program “Rinat Akhmetov - to Children. Peaceful Recreation for the Children of Ukraine,” nearly 5,000 children from different parts of the country have already had the opportunity to regain strength, find hope, and gain new impressions. Over the years of its work, the Foundation has provided support to more than 6 million children across Ukraine.