HOPE worldwide Ukraine Archives - HOPE worldwide Canada

Join us as we march at the 2019 Toronto Ukraine Festival parade

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HOPE worldwide Canada volunteers and supporters are invited to join us again this year as we march at the parade at the 2019 Toronto Ukrainian Festival to raise awareness for the Helping Hand for Ukraine project.

HOPE worldwide Canada volunteers marching in the 2016 parade.

Through this project, Canadians are able to provide financial support to children and parents traumatized by the war in eastern Ukraine. The program is run by HOPE worldwide Ukraine and is now entering Phase III to offer psychological assistance, training for social workers and other humanitarian aid. It has been actively supported and partly funded by HOPE worldwide Canada for the past 5 years.

The Festival starts with a parade of about 1,200 participants, include our own HOPE worldwide Canada participants.

Here are details for the march:

Date: Saturday September 14, 2019.

Time: 10:oo am meet at High Park, at the main entrance on Bloor.

Venue: High Park, Bloor Street. The parade route is from High Park to Jane street along Bloor Street West.

Please SIGN UP and join us at the march by sending an email to Taras Kulish at Taras.Kulish@hopewwcanada.org or text/call (416) 625 7482.

Watch the video below to learn more about HOPE worldwide Canada’s participation at the march in previous years and the Helping Hand for Ukraine project.

If you can’t make it to the parade please consider making a tax deductable donation to help the children in Eastern Ukraine. They desperately need your help. To make a donation, please click below and select “Helping Hand for Children Traumatized by War In Eastern Ukraine” from the dropdown menu.

videography by Aperture Lane

Ukrainian Credit Union in Toronto donates $1000 for the Helping Hand for Ukraine Project

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Taras Kulish receives a cheque for $1000 for HOPE worldwide Canada from Roman Mlynko (left) from UCU Wealth Strategies Group.

The Ukrainian Credit Union in Toronto recently made a generous donation of $1000 to the Helping Hand for Ukraine International Relief Project. The project is a joint initiative between HOPE worldwide Canada and HOPE worldwide Ukraine. It aims to provide psychological and humanitarian assistance to children who have been traumatized by war in Eastern Ukraine.

The funds will be used to train therapists and provide therapy to children who suffer from War trauma in Odesa.

Watch this video to learn more about the Helping Hand for Ukraine International Relief Project:

A Visit To The Helping Hand for Ukraine PTSD Therapy Camp in Kyiv, Ukraine

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Taras Kulish, our International Relations Coordinator, recently visited the Helping Hand for Ukraine PTSD Therapy Camp in Kyiv, Ukraine. HOPE worldwide Canada, through a grant from the Fleming Foundation, has given 3 weeks of RnR to 25 kids who live in the Red Zone (War Zone) in Ukraine at a camp organized by HOPE worldwide Ukraine. ‎The camp is just outside of Kyiv, where it is safe, over a 1000 miles from the conflict.

The 3 weeks is a good amount of time to build trust and give kids the tools they need to heal and handle stress better. They will be followed up by the team afterwards to monitor their progress.

The children were not used to hugging and were taught by the team to hug – it’s very good for them. ‎They are having nightmares and are worried about their families back home. Many have expressed they do not want to go back. They will have to be followed by the team afterwards to monitor their progress.

Through the Helping Hand for Ukraine project, Canadians are able to provide financial support to children and parents traumatized by the war in eastern Ukraine. The program is run by HOPE worldwide Ukraine and offers psychological assistance, training for social workers and other humanitarian aid.

For more pictures from Taras visit to Kyiv go to our Facebook page

Here is a video from Taras’ visit to the summer recreational and rehabilitation camp for children from Maryinka which was held near Kyiv:

HOPE Worldwide At The Ukrainian Humanitarian Conference In Toronto

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The Ukrainian Humanitarian conference took place in Toronto, Canada, on January 16th. The conference was organised by Highway Liberty, a non profit human rights organisation. The purpose of the conference was to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine as well as discuss current efforts to assist internally displaced persons. The conference was opened by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada, Andriy Shevchenko, with a keynote address presented by the Acting Consul General, Liudmyla Davydovych.

All funds raised at the conference were donated to the Helping Hand for Ukraine project to deliver a psycho-social and humanitarian relief program at the Dnipropetrovsk Refugee Centre in Ukraine. This is project is run by HOPE worldwide Ukraine

Charles Ham, HOPE worldwide’s International Disasters Coordinator, spoke eloquently at the conference on HOPE worldwide’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and other parts of the world. During his presentation he outlined the work across the world in partnership with local and international organisations such as the World Health Organisation and The Red Cross.

Charles Ham, HOPE worldwide International Disasters Coordinator

Emphasis on global efforts with strong local support and building local capacity to respond to crisis.
HOPE worldwide has provided food and nutrition to children in the Ukraine.
Delivering supplies and help in response to disasters in the Philippines, Nepal, Africa, Japan and other areas through it’s global disaster response.
An invitation to participants to partner with HOPE worldwide to provide help and support for disasters across the world.

Taras Kulish, HOPE worldwide of Canada’s International Relations Officer, made a special presentation which outlined our partnership with HOPE worldwide Ukraine through the Helping Hand For Ukraine project. This project seeks to mobilize resources to fund psycho-social programs for internally displaced persons and refugees in eastern Ukraine. Taras outlined the scope of the project, work completed to date and future plans, including:

Taras Kulish, HOPE worldwide of Canada International Relations Officer

Teaching psychologists in Kyiv in May 2015 in recovery techniques in Phase I of the project.
Psycho-social therapy sessions for children and parents in Korostychiv (May-June 2015).
Training social workers, psychologists, emergency workers and volunteers in Cherkasy (Phase II December 2015).
The participants who attend training programs will be able to implement programs to help their local communities to recover from the trauma of war and also train other trainers.

The “Crimean Nurse,” a painting by renowned Jamaican-Canadian artist Ato Seitu was also auctioned at the conference. It was inspired by the story of Jamaican nurse Mary Seacole, who cared for the British soldiers during the Crimean War. All the proceeds were donated to the Helping Hand for Ukraine project.

HOPE worldwide of Canada volunteers at the conference with Charles Ham — The HOPE worldwide of Canada team at the conference with Charles Ham

As the designated charity for the conference, we raised $4500. However this amount is still short by $3500 for the Dnipropetrovsk program and we are seeking further donations.

Please consider supporting the Helping Hand for Ukraine project to raise the outstanding balance of $3500. For more information and to donate click below:

You can see pictures from the conference here

Support The Helping Hand For Ukraine Project

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HOPE worldwide of Canada volunteers and supporters came out in large numbers to participate at the annual Ukrainian Festival in Toronto for the children of Ukraine.

Through the Helping Hand for Ukraine project, Canadians are able to provide financial support to children and parents traumatized by the war in eastern Ukraine. The program is run by HOPE worldwide Ukraine and is now entering Phase III to offer psychological assistance, training for social workers and other humanitarian aid.

HOPE worldwide of Canada volunteers march at the Ukrainian Festival for the children of Ukraine — HOPE worldwide of Canada march at the Ukrainian Festival for the children of Ukraine

This year at the festival the Ukrainian Credit Union also made a generous donation of $5000 to the Helping Hand of Ukraine project.

The funds will be used for the following purposes:

50 children and their parents will receive psychological assistance
1 temporary camp for internally displaced camps in Odessa will be equipped with “Children’s Safe Space for Play”
50 children will be provided with psychological kits
20 state social workers will be trained and provided with support and supervision to work with children of war, displaced families and orphans
Over 2,000 people, children and their parents, will get psychological assistance through the work of 20 social workers who will use the techniques in their daily work.
If you wish to obtain more information about The Helping Hand for Ukraine project click here or contact Taras Kulish at Taras.Kulish@hopewwcanada.org.

Please consider making a donation to help the children in Eastern Ukraine. They desperately need your help. To make a donation, please click below and select “Helping Hand for Children Traumatized by War In Eastern Ukraine” from the dropdown menu.

Videography compliments of Aperture Lane

Helping Hand For Ukraine Training In Cherkasy

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HOPE worldwide of Canada has been providing financial and other forms of support to HOPE worldwide Ukraine. mainly through the Helping Hand for Ukraine project. Here is a quick update from Ukraine.

HOPE worldwide Ukraine implemented a 3-day “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training program in Cherkasy in November. A total of 17 social workers, leaders of regional social service centers, practicing psychologists and representatives of the state emergency services participated in the training within Phase II of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” International Relief Project.

Ms. Iryna Sukhova (coordinator-psychologist), Ms. Olena Bozhor (art-therapist) and Ms. Nataliya Podolyak (psychologist and psychotherapist) taught participants how to use the techniques and program to work with children traumatized by the war in the Eastern Ukraine. The Cherkasy Regional Contact Center generously provided the training venue and accommodations for the trainers.

Larysa Khodakovska, Executive Director, Cherkasy Regional Contact Center: “As of today 13,443 IDPs (internally displaced persons) live in the Cherkasy region and 2,026 of them are children. Children and their parents desperately need psychological assistance. The new knowledge and techniques gained to work with IDP children are extremely important and urgent for the social workers, psychologists, and educators of Cherkasy region. On behalf of Cherkasy Regional Contact Center I express our gratitude to the training team of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project for this informative educational work and cooperation”.

Iryna Vysotska, training participant, practicing psychologist at Cherkasy City Children’s Hospital: “The training was clearly structured. I acquired skills and techniques and got a chance to master them during practice modules.

I am thankful for the new tools, visual materials and the manual. Since I work with children and parents, I will be able to use these tools and techniques in my work as well as in communication with my own child. All my expectations came true”.

Funding For Phase II Provided By HOPE worldwide

HOPE worldwide provided financial support for Phase II of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” International Relief Project in the amount of $20 000 USD.

In Q1 2015, HOPE worldwide (USA) delivered an initial $20 000 USD to HOPE worldwide Ukraine to bring humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Eastern Ukraine.

Successful implementation of Phase I led to HOPE worldwide (based in USA) providing additional support for Phase II of the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” project.

Phase II started in October. As part of the program, the Recovery Team conducted therapy sessions for children in the “Dzherelo” IDP camp in Pushcha Vodytsya (Kyiv oblast). They then proceeded to conduct the “Children and War Teaching Recovery Techniques” training sessions for social workers and psychologists in Cherkasy in November.

Randolph S. Jordan, outgoing CEO of HOPE worldwide: “With the mission to bring hope to a hurting world HOPE worldwide is pleased to provide financial assistance to ensure the successful implementation of the Helping Hand for Ukraine project that it may have lasting impact on the lives of Ukrainian children.”

If you wish to donate to the Helping Hand of Ukraine, please visit the donation page here

Become a “Helping Hand” for Children Traumatized by War in Eastern Ukraine

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The Helping Hand for Ukraine Project was initiated by HOPE worldwide of Canada and HOPE worldwide Ukraine with the aim to improve the psycho-social situation of children traumatized by war in Eastern Ukraine. Through this project, children and parents will learn how to deal with psychological problems caused by war and violence. They will receive tools of psychological self-assistance and relaxation to conquer stress and traumatic memories.

Video: The Helping Hand for Ukraine Project

Phase I Completed

The Recovery Team has already successfully implemented Phase I of the Project. On May 22-24, 2015, ten Ukrainian psychologists were trained using the “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques” training manual. Together with two trainers-supervisors they conducted a course of therapy sessions in a temporary camp for IDPs from Eastern Ukraine, located in in Korostyshiv from May 30 till June 20, 2015. In total they facilitated therapy sessions for three groups of children and one group of parents.

Watch: Phase I Completed

Phase II

Phase II of the Project is planned for September 2015 – May 2016. The Recovery Team will conduct:

Weekly therapy sessions for children, traumatized by war, and their parents, who temporarily live in IDPs camps in different regions of Ukraine;
15 training sessions for psychologists, social workers, and volunteers, who work with IDPs in different cities of Ukraine.

The Project is a joint collaboration between HOPE worldwide Ukraine and HOPE worldwide of Canada with the assistance of HOPE worldwide USA. The Project team is currently collecting donations from individuals and looking for strategic partnerships with institutional and corporate donors.

Take some time to watch this video and see how the psychologists and social workers of HOPE worldwide Ukraine are helping children overcome the trauma of the war in Eastern Ukraine. It is touching to see how the children can start to feel safe. Parents are relieved as they now have tools to help their kids

Video: Training The Trainers

To join and support the “Helping Hand for Ukraine” Project, please, contact taras.kulish@hopewwcanada.org

We are grateful for your donations to support the children of Ukraine.

Children Traumatized by War in Eastern Ukraine Need Our Helping Hand

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A military conflict and the conduct of an anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in Eastern Ukraine have forced local populations to migrate to other cities and regions of Ukraine. The Departments of Social Protection and Security of the regional and Kyiv state administrations have officially registered over 1.2 million of forced migrants. Women and children constitute over 60% of the forced migrants from Donetsk and Luhansk.

The majority of the forced migrants live in places of temporary accommodation (camps) – summer camps and resort facilities, state institutions of rehabilitation and recreation. Their temporary homes are not adjusted for living during cold seasons; there are little or no sanitary conditions, particularly for the care of children and babies. The forced migrants rely on volunteers to get food, hygienic products, clothes, and medicine.

During the war in Eastern Ukraine, children, as well as adults, have become victims and witnesses of traumatizing events. Children traumatized by war are easily scared by loud noises, they become depressed, often cry and exhibit anxiety, sudden irritation and anger. Many children have awful nightmares. Such child traumas, if not properly and timely dealt with, can disrupt lives of these children and lead to serious psychological disorders.

Since August 2014 HOPE worldwide Ukraine, in cooperation with partner organizations – the Danish Charity Foundation “Help Ukrainian Children” and the International Charity Foundation “Hospital of Maidan”, has collected and delivered over 25 tons of humanitarian aid (clothes, food, medicine) to the forced migrants who live in 5 camps in Kurakhove, Berdyansk, Korostyshiv, Kremenchuk, Komsomolsk.

Assessing Next Steps – “Helping Hand” Project Efforts

Currently, HOPE worldwide Ukraine, in close cooperation with HOPE worldwide of Canada, is raising funds for the “Helping Hand” project, which aims to collect and deliver humanitarian aid to the forced migrants from Eastern Ukraine and to provide psychological assistance to children, traumatized by the war in Eastern Ukraine and their families.

The Project will:

affect lives of over 17,500 forced migrants who will receive humanitarian aid,
improve socio-emotional well-being of 10,000 children and parents who will participate in psychological therapy sessions and acquire skills and capacities to deal with their traumatic experience
empower 300 psychologists, social workers and teachers who will be trained to work with traumatized children using “Children and War. Teaching Recovery Techniques”.

We aim to:

prevent the development of PTSD symptoms and depression in children who witnessed and survived war;
prevent the need for specialized treatment services in the future;
help kids learn how to cope with stressful situations and complicated life circumstances in future;
help families of forced migrants activate and mobilize their own inner resources and foster better social adaptation.

How You Can Help

Canadians wanting to help children traumatized by war in Eastern Ukraine can make donations in the following ways:

Online via Tilt, our official crowdfunding organization and who have generously waived all fees.
Sending your donations marked Helping Hand: Ukraine to HOPE worldwide of Canada, PO Box 30040 Weston Hwy 7 PO
Woodbridge, ON
L4L 0C7

Please note that donations will also have a minimal 10% administration fee. All donations over $20 will be issued a tax receipt for Canadian tax returns only. If you are a resident of the United States, you can donate here.

PLEASE HELP

HOPE worldwide of Canada needs your help to provide humanitarian aid and psychological assistance to children traumatized by war in Eastern Ukraine.

Some photos were taken from http://apostrophe.com.ua/ with consent of the photographer, Vlad Sodel.