Children of war: Voice of America made a film about the participants of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s Blogger Camp

Recently, the largest international news broadcaster in the USA, Voice of America, presented a documentary about Ukrainian children who suffered from the war, lost their parents, survived the occupation or were illegally taken to russia. The film tells how boys and girls are improving their health, getting new opportunities for development and psychological support at the Blogger Camp in Zakarpattia. This activity is implemented by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation as part of the project “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Peaceful Summer”. The filming took place during the summer shift of the Camp.

Watch the documentary on YouTube https://bit.ly/3FpMNhu

All campers come from different parts of Ukraine, but are united by a common pain - the war. The Voice of America shares the stories of children who survived the horrors of war in their hometowns. These are 10-year-old Hlib from Siverskodonetsk, which is now occupied by the russians, and 15-year-old Valeriia, who lived under occupation for 18 months in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia region. In their interviews, the children recall shelling, fear for their families and living in mortal danger.

“War is when you go somewhere, and something can explode and you go to a completely different place to protect yourself,” recalls Hlib.

“I had a good life and it was taken away by the russians. Many of my friends and acquaintances were taken to the “basement”,” says Valeriia.
The documentary shows how activities and interaction with Blogger Camp psychologists help children process their war experiences and overcome their fears. Through communication, creativity and art therapy at Blogger Camp, children learn to move on with their lives.

“If the trauma is very severe and the child has seen the deaths of relatives and other people, it is very important to restore trust in adults. If there is no trust, then the person will work on the defensive, building all the circles of protection around him or her. When there is trust, a person begins to develop,” explains Yuliia Kriuchkova, a psychologist at the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

Thanks to the “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Peaceful Summer” project, almost 5,000 children from all over the country have been able to relax, recover and undergo psychological rehabilitation. In total, over 5 million children in Ukraine have received support under the Rinat Akhmetov to Children project. “Rinat Akhmetov to Children. Help that gives tomorrow!”