08/10/2026
Places To Learn and Connect: Two New Child Friendly Spaces from UNICEF Opened in the Hrushev Community
War affects not only children’s safety, but also their daily lives and socialisation. Familiar places for meeting up and leisure activities become inaccessible, and children have fewer opportunities to spend time with their peers, socialise and take part in shared activities.
In such circumstances, safe spaces take on particular importance, where children can not only socialise and spend time together, but also receive the necessary support for their learning and development. This is particularly important for communities where access to educational services may be limited due to the security situation.
In September 2026, in the Hrushev community in the Dnipropetrovsk region, we opened two new Child Friendly Spaces in partnership with UNICEF — in Tokivske and Chervonyi Tik.
In such circumstances, safe spaces take on particular importance, where children can not only socialise and spend time together, but also receive the necessary support for their learning and development. This is particularly important for communities where access to educational services may be limited due to the security situation.
In September 2026, in the Hrushev community in the Dnipropetrovsk region, we opened two new Child Friendly Spaces in partnership with UNICEF — in Tokivske and Chervonyi Tik.
At the centre, children can prepare for school, catch up on any gaps in their education, attend youth clubs, receive psychosocial support and have sessions with a speech and language therapist. Creative workshops, themed events, treasure hunts and other activities are also held here.
In Chervonyi Tik, the space was set up on the premises of a local school. Its principal, Larysa, explains that the school is currently running online. There are 60 children attending the school, some of whom plan to visit the space.
According to Larisa, they also plan to involve children from neighbouring villages in the centre’s activities.
“We’re thinking of involving the villages of Zaporizke, Mykhailo-Zavodske and Kamianka. We’ve already sent out posters and hope that they’ll join us too,” she says.
According to Larisa, they also plan to involve children from neighbouring villages in the centre’s activities.
“We’re thinking of involving the villages of Zaporizke, Mykhailo-Zavodske and Kamianka. We’ve already sent out posters and hope that they’ll join us too,” she says.
The second centre was opened in the neighbouring village of Tokivske. This is where Kateryna plans to come for classes and activities with her youngest daughter, Adelina.
Adelina started Year 1 this year, but due to the security situation, the school in the village is operating in a blended format. It is important to the family that, at the Space, their child will not only be able to study, but also socialise with peers and take part in various activities.
“There’s a teacher here who can help with writing or maths, a psychologist who can have a chat, and a speech therapist who will help with our pronunciation,” says Kateryna.
Kateryna says that she and her daughter plan to attend as many classes and activities at Prostor as possible: “We plan to go everywhere we can, because our child is active. The social interaction she currently has isn’t enough for her.”
Adelina started Year 1 this year, but due to the security situation, the school in the village is operating in a blended format. It is important to the family that, at the Space, their child will not only be able to study, but also socialise with peers and take part in various activities.
“There’s a teacher here who can help with writing or maths, a psychologist who can have a chat, and a speech therapist who will help with our pronunciation,” says Kateryna.
Kateryna says that she and her daughter plan to attend as many classes and activities at Prostor as possible: “We plan to go everywhere we can, because our child is active. The social interaction she currently has isn’t enough for her.”
It is particularly important for the family to be able to work with a speech therapist. According to Kateryna, they were unable to find a specialist in Tokivskyi who could work with her daughter. There are no such specialists in the nearest towns either — Zelenodolsk and Apostolove. Now, they won’t need to travel to another town for this support — it will be available right here at the Space.
“Every child deserves a childhood and should grow up in a safe environment. We support children and their parents, especially in frontline communities, where the war limits their opportunities to learn and spend time with their peers on a daily basis. This joint project with the CF "Angels of Salvation" is very important to us. We are already seeing how such spaces are changing children’s lives: they are more eager to learn, make friends and receive specialist support that previously required a trip to another city. Now, children in the Hrushev community have this support close to home,” says Pablo de Pascual, Chief Field Office at UNICEF in Dnipro.
Both Spaces are already up and running, and children from Tokivske, Chervonyi Tik and neighbouring settlements are welcome to take part in their classes and activities.
These Child Friendly Spaces operate as part of a UNICEF project implemented by the Charitable Foundation "Angels of Salvation".
“Every child deserves a childhood and should grow up in a safe environment. We support children and their parents, especially in frontline communities, where the war limits their opportunities to learn and spend time with their peers on a daily basis. This joint project with the CF "Angels of Salvation" is very important to us. We are already seeing how such spaces are changing children’s lives: they are more eager to learn, make friends and receive specialist support that previously required a trip to another city. Now, children in the Hrushev community have this support close to home,” says Pablo de Pascual, Chief Field Office at UNICEF in Dnipro.
Both Spaces are already up and running, and children from Tokivske, Chervonyi Tik and neighbouring settlements are welcome to take part in their classes and activities.
These Child Friendly Spaces operate as part of a UNICEF project implemented by the Charitable Foundation "Angels of Salvation".
