KidsRights supports the initiative of child psychologist Katerina Shutalova, and her organisation “Ukranian Frontiers”. Since 2014, her organisation has been working with children in conflict areas on the borders.
“Children in war zone and on the run need to know that life is not only war.” says child psychologist Katerina Shutalova (38). She has just fled from Kharkiv, the city that is now under heavy siege. She hastily left her house and her practice behind.
However, the organisation is still intact, and it has moved with the flow of refugees. Katerina and her team are now working in three different locations within the country. In this stream of refugees, they have gained experience with children witnessing war.
Katerina her team now work at the border, including at stations where refugees with children come in and out, and where they have to wait a long time.
“If you ask the children ‘When was the last time you ate?’, they often don’t know; they are ‘lost’,” says Katerina.
On platforms or in makeshift rooms, they work with children. They do all sorts of cheerful activities, which have one goal: to make children feel children, to take their stress away… Even if it is just for a moment.
On 13 January, Trouw (a Dutch quality paper) devoted an extensive article to Katerina and her organisation. Click here to read the article. We are currently in daily contact with Katerina, and she sends us images. Her organisation would like to expand in order to be able to support even more children! Nonetheless, money is needed for that!
I would like to ask you, if you can, to donate.
Go to the donations page or transfer your contribution to the bank account number NL33ABNA0464700000 in the name of KidsRights, mentioning ‘help Ukraine’.
Thank you very much!
Marc Dullaert | Founder KidsRights