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Hennadiy, a single father, and his two sons – Mykola, 14, and Andriy, 15, lived in the city of Kherson in the south of Ukraine. In autumn 2022, as hostilities were ramping up around the city, Hennadiy decided it was time to evacuate. He had to cross the bridge to get to the boys from a suburb across the river, and that was when he was shot. The family eventually reunited. They left Kherson with the help of “Save Ukraine”, World Vision’s local partner, and days later found themselves a new home at a collective center in the town of Irpin.
“Kherson was too dangerous with constant bombardment,” Hennadiy describes his hometown. However, safety was only part of the issue. Both of his sons have special educational needs. The younger, Mykola, had been diagnosed with autism at an early age. The impact of the trauma has been especially dramatic on his mental and physical health.
Before 2022, both boys went to a regular school. As part of the inclusive education approach, most Ukrainian schools will have some special needs students. With the war breaking out, that was no longer an option. “Mykola lost his speech. He couldn’t use his hands – to hold a pen or a spoon – and needed to be spoon fed. His condition severely deteriorated.”
“Save Ukraine” provided the family with more than just accommodation. The day center in Irpin that serves internally displaced children, as well as children from the local community, gave Mykola and Andriy a chance for recovery. “The boys enrolled as soon as the center opened. Speech therapy, physical therapy, mental health, art, Ukrainian language classes. Children get all the attention here”, Hennadiy elaborates.
According to the Ministry of Education, over 2,600 schools have been damaged and more than 400 destroyed. World Vision is supporting children like Mykola and Andriy as they reintegrate into the education system through catch-up classes and a holistic approach to mental health. With over 267,000 children supported through education programming, World Vision is advocating for greater access to quality education for Ukrainian children.
A fight for access to education amidst the war
“He heard explosions, and that’s when he stopped talking,” says Hennadiy about his 14-year-old son. “And then he saw me covered in blood from a bullet wound, which completely terrified him”.Hennadiy, a single father, and his two sons – Mykola, 14, and Andriy, 15, lived in the city of Kherson in the south of Ukraine. In autumn 2022, as hostilities were ramping up around the city, Hennadiy decided it was time to evacuate. He had to cross the bridge to get to the boys from a suburb across the river, and that was when he was shot. The family eventually reunited. They left Kherson with the help of “Save Ukraine”, World Vision’s local partner, and days later found themselves a new home at a collective center in the town of Irpin.
“Kherson was too dangerous with constant bombardment,” Hennadiy describes his hometown. However, safety was only part of the issue. Both of his sons have special educational needs. The younger, Mykola, had been diagnosed with autism at an early age. The impact of the trauma has been especially dramatic on his mental and physical health.
Before 2022, both boys went to a regular school. As part of the inclusive education approach, most Ukrainian schools will have some special needs students. With the war breaking out, that was no longer an option. “Mykola lost his speech. He couldn’t use his hands – to hold a pen or a spoon – and needed to be spoon fed. His condition severely deteriorated.”
“Save Ukraine” provided the family with more than just accommodation. The day center in Irpin that serves internally displaced children, as well as children from the local community, gave Mykola and Andriy a chance for recovery. “The boys enrolled as soon as the center opened. Speech therapy, physical therapy, mental health, art, Ukrainian language classes. Children get all the attention here”, Hennadiy elaborates.
According to the Ministry of Education, over 2,600 schools have been damaged and more than 400 destroyed. World Vision is supporting children like Mykola and Andriy as they reintegrate into the education system through catch-up classes and a holistic approach to mental health. With over 267,000 children supported through education programming, World Vision is advocating for greater access to quality education for Ukrainian children.
