The biproduce of war
Ukraine has over 61,000 orphans and children deprived of parental care. Most were placed in the institutional system prior to the war due to poverty or parental inability to cope. Tragically, thousands more have lost parents or guardians as a direct result of the ongoing conflict.
Current System & The Impact of War
The Reality of "Orphanages":
About 90% of children in Ukraine's large-scale residential institutions actually have at least one living parent. The system is a legacy of the Soviet era, though the government has been transitioning to smaller family-style group homes.
War-Related Casualties:
Over 17,000 children have lost parental care due to direct consequences of the conflict (like the death or disappearance of their parents).
Forced Deportations:
Thousands of Ukrainian orphans and vulnerable children have been forcibly displaced or deported into Russian-controlled territories, a systemic issue that led the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants.
Institutional Conditions:
Institutions are frequently overcrowded, and many face severe shortages in food, medicine, and trauma support, especially near front-line areas. Children with disabilities in these facilities are especially vulnerable to neglect and abuse.
How to Help & Support
There is a massive demand for thousands of additional foster families to keep children out of institutions, as well as a great need for financial and medical support.
You can support vulnerable children and orphans in Ukraine through established charities:
SOS Children's Villages Ukraine:
Advocates for family-based care and provides mental health and financial support to prevent at-risk families from separating.
Children of Heroes Charity Fund:
Specifically focuses on providing long-term psychological, medical, and educational support to children who have lost their parents in the war.
Hope and Homes for Children:
Works on the ground in Ukraine to safely transition children out of institutions and support vulnerable foster families.
Current System & The Impact of War
The Reality of "Orphanages":
About 90% of children in Ukraine's large-scale residential institutions actually have at least one living parent. The system is a legacy of the Soviet era, though the government has been transitioning to smaller family-style group homes.
War-Related Casualties:
Over 17,000 children have lost parental care due to direct consequences of the conflict (like the death or disappearance of their parents).
Forced Deportations:
Thousands of Ukrainian orphans and vulnerable children have been forcibly displaced or deported into Russian-controlled territories, a systemic issue that led the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants.
Institutional Conditions:
Institutions are frequently overcrowded, and many face severe shortages in food, medicine, and trauma support, especially near front-line areas. Children with disabilities in these facilities are especially vulnerable to neglect and abuse.
How to Help & Support
There is a massive demand for thousands of additional foster families to keep children out of institutions, as well as a great need for financial and medical support.
You can support vulnerable children and orphans in Ukraine through established charities:
SOS Children's Villages Ukraine:
Advocates for family-based care and provides mental health and financial support to prevent at-risk families from separating.
Children of Heroes Charity Fund:
Specifically focuses on providing long-term psychological, medical, and educational support to children who have lost their parents in the war.
Hope and Homes for Children:
Works on the ground in Ukraine to safely transition children out of institutions and support vulnerable foster families.
