On February 24, Russia launched a war against Ukraine.

Every day, more than 70 of our defenders give their lives for the independence of our country. Most of them are over 30 years old. They have families and children.

The project “Circle of Hope” is a psychological rehabilitation program for widows and mothers of Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen who were killed after February 24.

According to the project conditions, each session includes 40 participants — women who have lost their husbands on the front line (their husbands were killed after February 24), or mothers. They spend 21 days in a boarding facility in the picturesque Carpathian Mountains.

Psychological support remains the main component of the project.

The first session took place from October 9 to October 29. A kind of camp for 39 children and adults was organized for 21 days in the very heart of the Carpathians. Weather conditions and the beautiful mountain scenery had a positive impact on the participants. Psychologists working with grief and loss since 2014 are confident in this effect. Specialists worked with the women and children every day.

The women participating in the project are in a very difficult emotional state.

Every day, psychologists work with them and their children individually and in groups. Various creative activities and special sessions for children are also planned. The program is very intensive.

This structured process of psychological recovery produces results due to two key conditions:

• Participants are in a safe environment (families are invited from areas affected by shelling and constant air raid sirens);
• Daily psychological support sessions are provided, sometimes even twice a day.

Children also receive daily psychological support.

As a result, a sense of safety for women and children, combined with psychological support, helps families recover from crisis and find a path to continue living after a devastating loss.

The psychologists involved in the program have extensive experience working with trauma and “irreversible” loss.

They have at least 6 years of professional experience and undergo a special selection process conducted by the Institute of Psychology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

The project is supported by the New Jersey Together, the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund, Vaad of Ukraine, and private donors.

Useful links

Olena Zaslavska on the “Circle of Hope” project
Lesia Diak: I don’t want to live in a state of helplessness. I will serve my people through my creativity
Volodymyr Lanko: Our goal is to try to understand and provide emotional support to people during times of serious life challenges
Put your own mask on first, then your child’s: A psychologist on how to talk to children about war
A charity exhibition of creative works by participants of the “Circle of Hope” project opened in Kyiv