| Aid Partner: | Kids of Ukraine Foundation |
| Funds: | USD 16,587 |
| Regions: | Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Carpathians |
| Aid provided: | SviTy youth club centers and summer rehabilitation camps |
| Beneficiaries: | 95 new adolescents in youth clubs (6,209 visits); 100 teenagers in Carpathian camps |
With a grant of USD 16,587, SA2U supported the Kids of Ukraine Foundation in running their “SviTy” youth club centers for teenagers aged 11-17 in Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, and Cherkasy. From June to August 2025, the centers provided regular group and individual sessions with psychologists, along with workshops, training sessions, seminars, and excursions – creating safe spaces for young people who need psychological support and adaptation to new environments.
Youth Clubs – A Safe Space to Grow
Across the three cities, the SviTy centers recorded 6,209 visits over the summer and welcomed 95 new unique adolescents into the program. In Lviv alone, 1,893 visits were recorded with 38 new participants. Khmelnytskyi saw 1,808 visits and 21 new participants, while Cherkasy was the most active with 2,508 visits and 36 new young people joining.
Follow-up monitoring showed that 93.2% of the 167 teens surveyed noted an improvement in their overall emotional state, with none reporting deterioration. Participants reported feeling calmer, more confident in communication, and less isolated after attending the centers.
Summer Camps in the Carpathians
In addition to the urban youth clubs, the SviTy program also ran rehabilitation camps in the Carpathian mountains for teenagers from military conflict zones, occupied territories, and families of military personnel. Across 4 camp sessions of 8 days each, 100 teenagers took part in daily training sessions with psychologists, mountain hiking, river rafting, morning runs, and creative workshops – all designed to help them overcome the consequences of war and restore their inner resources.
The program uses trauma pedagogy, restorative approaches, and nonviolent communication to help participants develop emotional resilience, uncover their strengths, build new friendships, and unlock creative potential. Through these shared experiences, children discover new aspects of themselves and experience joy in overcoming challenges.
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Kids of Ukraine is a charitable foundation created during the first days of the war to help children and their families. Their “SviTy” program – meaning “Shine Bright” in Ukrainian – is a comprehensive psychosocial support initiative that combines relaxation, educational, and therapeutic elements to promote social integration and emotional resilience among war-affected youth. With SA2U’s support, they operate youth clubs in three cities and run summer rehabilitation camps in the Carpathian mountains.
