“With this project, you understand that people are waiting for you here and will help you here”:  Danylo Rozvozov on the “Youth Chooses Ukraine” Project

Twenty-two-year-old Danylo Rozvozov from Mariupol was forcibly taken to russia and managed to return to Ukraine at the end of 2022. Today, he is studying, making plans for the future, and taking part in the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s “Youth Chooses Ukraine” project, which helps young Ukrainians adapt after returning from occupied territories or deportation.

Danylo shared his story on MEGOGO during a broadcast before the UEFA Champions League match between Donetsk’s Shakhtar and Greece’s AEK. He spoke about the difficulties he faced after returning and the importance of supporting young people who want to build their future in Ukraine.

“This is an initiative of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine. And now Shakhtar Football Club has joined us, too. Many young people are in the occupied territories or in other countries, and they want to return. With this project, you understand that people are waiting for you here and will help you here,” Danylo says.

During the broadcast, Danylo not only shared his story but also tried his hand at being a football pundit. At the end of the conversation, the presenter asked him what he thought the result of the Shakhtar–AEK match would be. Danylo confidently predicted a 3–0 victory for Shakhtar. And he was almost right! Shakhtar won 3–1, so Danylo correctly predicted not only the winner but also the number of goals the team would score.

Danylo’s story was featured as part of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation’s collaboration with MEGOGO. During eight broadcasts of Shakhtar’s UEFA Champions League matches, the media service will inform viewers about the “Youth Chooses Ukraine” project.

“Youth Chooses Ukraine” is a pilot project by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine for young Ukrainians aged 18–23 who are returning from temporarily occupied territories or after unlawful deportation. The project aims to help them adapt, get an education, find a job, and become independent. The first group comprised 20 young people.