Former Ukraine Ombudsman for Children Issues Statement on Ways To Support Ukraine Relief Effort

Donate and save Ukrainian children from the war

KYIV, Ukraine, March 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the ongoing war Putin has declared against the sovereignty of Ukraine, the lives of Ukrainians have been deeply disrupted. More than 840 children have been wounded, and dozens have died since the Russian invasion. Mykola Kuleba, Ombudsman for Children with the office of the President of Ukraine (2014-2021), has coordinated a coalition of organizations all over Ukraine to help take children out of combat zones, transport them to safe areas and ensure their needs are met.

"I had hoped that through my work the future for Ukrainian children was improving and that the darkest days were behind us," said Kuleba, "I come to you today to tell you that the darkest days are ahead of us".

You can help Ukrainian children by donating here: https://ua.helpua.site 

The brutal war is ruining the environment Ukrainian children rely on, including their families, homes, kindergartens, orphanages, and hospitals, forcing them to stay in basements under highly challenging conditions. Children frequently lack basic needs like food and medicine. Many of them are forced to spend days in these harsh conditions without knowing any hope will come.

Children who manage to flee are often separated from one or even both parents. Every day, the organization receives calls for assistance to evacuate children from life-or-death situations. Hospitals have been shelled and damaged. Babies continue to arrive in bomb shelters or devastated hospitals. This is not the world mothers expected to welcome them into, but they are the future all the Ukrainians are fighting for.

Together with the NGO organization Save Ukraine, Mr Kuleba and his team continue to evacuate thousands of orphans, children with disabilities, children, and families from war zones all over Ukraine each day. 

Challenges the organization is facing right now: 

1. Lack of resources, including people, finance, and time.

2. Difficulty evacuating families from dangerous combat zones due to active artillery shelling and convincing traumatized families to evacuate as soon as possible.

Most international partners offer shelter or further evacuation abroad only at the border with Ukraine, but the team's main activities focus on evacuation from the "hotspots". More importantly, this must be conducted carefully so that no children would become victims of human trafficking in the process.

Ways to help and save Ukraine:

• It's crucial to help NGOs and other organizations with funding and resources. Donate to the NGO "Save Ukraine" (who works on evacuations, assistance to families with children, medicines, food, etc.). By doing so, you help to save lives directly. 
• Highlight and spread information about Putin's atrocities against the Ukrainian. It is essential to apply this information to your friends, governments, charity organizations, etc. The level of awareness of the situation in the world directly affects the events happening in Ukraine. 
• Call on your leaders to intervene and end the war. It is vital to address your local and state governments, to write letters and petitions for immediate action. You can also work with your government to prepare housing and necessary resources to receive refugees. 

Please help Ukrainian children and donate here https://ua.helpua.site 

Mr Mykola Kuleba, Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for Children's Rights:
"I have often been the voice for the voiceless in my career of promoting children's rights. I never imagined I would stand defending my country, asking you to share my plea for the children of Ukraine and love them in your hearts as their families do. They and we need your help. Please help."

Bio

Nikolai Kuleba has worked as the Children Ombudsman with the Office of The President of Ukraine for the last seven years. With his work, Mr Kuleba has helped to protect the civic, economic and social rights of children in Ukraine and upholding the international children's rights commitments of Ukraine. Today he makes an urgent appeal from Kyiv as he is tasked with moving children to the safe sanctuary, including those children in orphanages, while war rages. He is a father to four children.

Photo/video materials on evacuation

*These photo and video materials have been filmed by Mykola Kuleba and his team with parents' permission to show the actual situation.

More photos can be viewed on our website https://ua.helpua.site

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1762987/Save_Ukraine_Irpin.jpg  
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1762986/Save_Ukraine_Irpin_2.jpg