We are thrilled to report, that, as of July 2023, we have delivered over a thousand of computers to evacuated Ukrainian orphans and other displaced children. Kids attend zoom classes and read books online and watch movies. Thank you @EPAM for your generous support, you bring smiles to kids every day. Onwards! We won’t stop until every child has a chance to learn.
After the war broke out on February 24, 2022, we reached out to our contacts at orphanages all over the country to see how we can help. During the first weeks of the war, we dealt with the emergencies: delivering to orphanages food, water, and medicine.
Our educational work: 32 orphanages and foster care families, 800 computers and growing
In March 2022, most of the Ukrainian orphanages have been evacuated. The kids were finally safe – but they were no longer able to attend school as they do not speak languages of the countries that sheltered them. Nearly a year later, it remains unclear when it would be safe to return to Ukraine. There are thousands of evacuated orphans who live in hotels and church shelters and have no access to any form of schooling. There are no schoolteachers, no books, no computers. These children – ranging from 6 to 16 years old – have nothing to do all day, every day. Added to the trauma of evacuation and fleeing the war, the lack of regular schooling is already resulting in significant developmental delay.
That’s how our project was born. We have launched our educational project and have been setting up online classes and activities. We have already provided over 800 computers to make-shift classrooms and lined up dozens of amazing volunteers who can teach art, history, biology, geography, and even offer programming classes remotely.
New dire humanitarian needs
While we remain committed to our educational project and have been steadily growing our program and expanding it to more evacuated orphanages, orphanages in Ukraine face another unsurmountable challenge: lack of light and heat. Many regions do not have any access to the grid that was destroyed by the bombs. Without power supply, there is no light, no heat, and no water. We are purchasing portable electrical generators to Ukrainian orphanages to keep the lights on and the heat running as Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. With winter ahead, many more are needed.
As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and financial grants to support our program. Each portable generator costs about $1,500 (small, for “family type“ orphanages ) and $3,000 (for bigger orphanages). We have on the ground network and therefore can purchase, deliver and help installing the generators in Ukraine. We are grateful for any assistance – no donation is too small – to help us bring light and warmth to the orphanages this winter.
Child Adoption Associates is happy to be providing weekly deliveries of fresh fruit and yogurt to orphanages who have been displaced by the war. Please reach out to us to learn how you can partner with us in this project.
We are not holding any in-person informational sessions but we encourage you to contact us via email or phone to ask any questions you may have. We emphasize the importance of education for successful adoption, and we are supportive and sensitive to families’ needs.