Children continue to be victims of Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine. On the night of June 9, missile attacks targeted residential buildings, business centers, churches, and civilian infrastructure across Ukraine. In the Kharkiv region, Russia injured 2 children; in Zaporizhzhia, 5 more were injured; and in Dnipro, one child was injured. These are not mere statistics; these are childhoods ruined and futures stolen.
In Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, children have become among the most vulnerable victims of the war. Some 20,000 children have been abducted. While others fled with nothing, carrying fear and trauma alongside whatever little they could take.
For a fifteen-year-old girl named Oksana, violence was not something she read about in the news. It was something a Russian soldier said directly to her face. Learn more about Oksana’s story in the video below.
Save Ukraine works to find and rescue children caught in the grip of occupation and displacement, reuniting families and providing the care needed to begin rebuilding a life. With support from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF), 46 children have been rescued and brought to safety. At two Hope and Healing Centres, hundreds of beneficiaries have received psychological support, therapy, hot meals, and educational programming, because no child should stop learning because of a war.
For Olena, a mother who escaped occupied Crimea with her three children, the change has been profound. For the first time, she says, she saw lightness in her children’s eyes. They feel safe. These are small words that carry an enormous weight.
To date, CUF has invested over $500,000 into Save Ukraine’s mission. That investment is measured not in dollars, but in children given back their childhood.
Behind every headline is a family fighting to stay together.
Your support helps the people behind the news. Donate today at cufoundation.ca.
To donate using AMEX, PayPal, or Google Pay, please visit our CanadaHelps page.
About the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF)
Founded in 1995, CUF has a strong track record of providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the areas of healthcare, education and civil society. CUF collaborates with aid providers in Ukraine, Canada, and beyond to maximize impact and cost-effectiveness of your support.