Family for every child

Nominees

These are only some of the stories submitted for the 2025 award

• Olesia Samoilenko

  Head of parent organizations “NGO Kolpin's Work in Ukraine”-“Kolping Family,” Vinnytsia, and the All-Ukrainian NGO “Ukrainian Union of Persons with Disabilities — USI.”

  Thanks to her work, a new system of basic social services is being established in the city, ensuring the right of children with disabilities to live in a family with dignity and independence.

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• Oksana Sydorchuk

  Founder of the Happy Home network

  Created a space where children with mental and physical disabilities receive individualized care and rehabilitation. Over 6 years, 18 children have lived there, and 9 of them found families.

• Volodymyr Yuriev

  Deputy Head of Khmelnytskyi Regional State Administration

  Thanks to his leadership and ability to unite various stakeholders, the Khmelnytskyi region is successfully implementing the Better Care Reform.

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• NGO “League of Social Workers of Ukraine”

  Implemented a sustainable model of support for children and families in the Dnipropetrovsk region by integrating social, educational, and medical services into a single system.

• Charitable Foundation “Save Ukraine”

  Created a system for rescuing, returning, and reintegrating Ukrainian children deported or separated from their families due to the war. Over 900 children have already been returned.

• Pyriatyn Centre for Social Services, Pyriatyn City Council

  Introduced early intervention services for families with children under 4 years old who have developmental disorders or are at risk of them. Families facing difficulties receive timely help and support.

• Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disabilities, Zviahel City Council

  Since 2011, has provided free physical, psychological, educational, and social rehabilitation services for children with disabilities and children at risk. In 2024, a day care service was introduced.

• Municipal Institution “Centre for Social Services,” Pidhaitsi Village Council

  Resolved the issue of systemic access to social services for all community residents, especially families with children in crisis situations.

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• Nataliia Syvoraksha

  Head of the Children’s Services Department of Zaporizhzhia City Council

  Under her leadership, the city program “Children of Zaporizhzhia” was introduced for the first time, supporting families with children. The number of foster families increased from 1 to 11.

• Vasyl Kozak

  Mayor of Sokyriany City Territorial Community, Chernivtsi region

  Initiated the creation of an effective support system for families in difficult life circumstances. As a result, there are no children in institutional care in the community.

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• Alla Hrebeniuk

  Director of a municipal institution, Inclusive Resource Centre, of the Korostyshiv City Council, Zhytomyr region

  One of the leaders in inclusive education development and child rights protection in Ukraine. Thanks to her initiatives and projects, hundreds of children with special educational needs and their families received support.

• Olena Mekhedko

  Foster mother of a family-type home, co-founder of NGO “Born of the Heart,” Donetsk region

  Promotes family-based care through personal example, supports families who have taken children into their homes, and advocates for children’s interests in the public space.

• Matvii Ivanov

  Mayor of Vylkove City Council, Izmail district, Odesa region

  Led the creation of the Centre for Social Services to comprehensively address social issues in the community. Initiated the transformation of libraries into modern “Bibliohubs” for children and families.

• Artem Mazur

  Head of the Charitable Foundation “KIDS OF UKRAINE”

  Created “SviTY” clubs where adolescents from IDP families can rebuild trust, find communication, and develop useful skills. Over 1,500 adolescents have already received support.

• Charitable Foundation “Blahomai”

  Provides material, educational, and psychosocial support to children and develops family-based care in more than 20 regions of Ukraine, supporting over 100 family-type orphanages.

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• Charitable Organization “Children of Heroes”

  Launched the “Svitliachok” project — psychological and recreational trips for children who lost one parent due to the war and their mothers/guardians. Nearly 400 children have participated.

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• International NGO “Last Bell”

  For nearly 20 years, has supported graduates of institutional care facilities and adolescents from family-based care in their first steps toward independent life.

• Department of Social Services for Families, Children, and Youth, Lutsk City Council

  Created a modern, inclusive Family Support Centre where families and children, including those with disabilities, receive access to education and development.

• Korostyshiv Territorial Community

  Consistently implements family support policies. As a result, 98% of children deprived of parental care are raised in family-based care rather than institutions.

• Department of Social Protection of the Population, Poltava City Council

  Introduced early intervention services for families raising children with developmental disorders or at risk of them, ensuring timely assistance and support.

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• Tetiana Marko

  Director of the “River Life” Charitable Foundation, Ivano-Frankivsk region

  For over 10 years, has provided psychological support to families affected by war. Works on establishing a Psychological Rehabilitation Centre for families of fallen, missing, and captured defenders.

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• Yevheniia Honcharenko

  Foster carer, Kharkiv region

  Has worked as a foster carer since 2017. During this time, 17 children from 7 families in difficult life circumstances received care and rehabilitation in her foster family.

• Valentyna and Vadym Katolyk

  Large foster family, Dnipropetrovsk region

  For over 10 years, the family has raised children with special educational needs. During this time, 7 children began independent lives, received education, and created their own families.

• Religious Mission “Caritas-Spes Ukraine”

  Provides systematic educational, emotional, and social support to children growing up in large foster families in the Khmelnytskyi region to ensure a better future.

• Novodmytrivka Village Council, Cherkasy region

  There are no children in institutional care in the community. 5 foster families, 3 family-type homes, and 6 foster families operate, with 24 children under guardianship. Children from across the region receive care.

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• Davydiv Village Council, Lviv region

  Created the “Place of Development” Club for children and adolescents who have suffered due to the war, have disabilities, or need community support. Here, they heal, find friends, and regain their self-confidence.

• Children’s Services Department of Kalush City Council

  4 foster families were created in the community, where 6 orphans and children deprived of parental care experienced family warmth. Also, 2 foster carers provided protection for 4 children.

• Nataliia Mariiko

  Social worker at the Centre for Social Services and Social Support of the Population, Davydiv Village Council, Lviv region

  Supports 39 families in difficult life circumstances, raising orphans and children deprived of parental care.

• Mariana Romaniak

  Head of the “Ridni” Charitable Foundation, Lviv region

  Over more than 10 years of work, under her leadership, the foundation has supported over 54,000 children deprived of parental care or in need of assistance.

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• Oleksandra Rudenko

  Adoptive mother and educator, Volyn region

  Together with her husband, raises 9 children who previously had no family. Shares her experience on social media, promotes family-based care, and supports parents and guardians.

• Zhanna Savych

  Trainer, supervisor, and mentor

  Has worked in the field of family and child support for over 10 years. Developed training programs and manuals for social service professionals, educators, and facilitators working with children, youth, and vulnerable families.

• Nataliia Krupa

  Foster mother, teacher, Kirovohrad region

  Mother of 3 biological and 2 foster children. From childhood, she dreamed of giving family warmth to at least one child who did not have it.

• Marianna Onufryk

  Head of NGO “Social Synergy,” expert in deinstitutionalization, development of community-based child and family support services, and implementation of the ICF

  One of the first in Ukraine to implement the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), an approach that replaces the medical model with a biopsychosocial one. The focus is not on “disability,” but on a person’s level of participation in life, their needs, and capacities.

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• International Charitable Organization “SOS Children’s Villages” Ukraine

  Implemented the “Silenced Voices” campaign, reaching over 4.5 million people, demonstrating that the institutional system does not provide children with the necessary protection, care, and conditions for full development.

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• NGO “Coalition of Ukrainian Parents”

  Advocates for changes in the care system. United 16 parent organizations, conducted research on family needs, and created educational materials for families raising children with disabilities in the Kharkiv region.

• Civic Union “Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights”

  Implements a project to introduce an integrated package of basic social services at the community level, transforming child support from crisis response to prevention and from isolated solutions to comprehensive family support.

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• Marta Levchenko

  Head of the “City of Good” Charitable Foundation, Chernivtsi region

  Under her leadership, the organization supports the mother, child, and family as a single system. Over 5,000 women received assistance, and more than 8,000 children were saved from social orphanhood.

• Khmelnytskyi Regional Military Administration

  Thanks to systematic work in the region, 94% of orphans and children deprived of parental care grow up in family-based care. Since the beginning of 2025, 35 children have been adopted, and the number of foster families increased from 2 to 35.

• Davydiv Village Council

  Created a place of strength for children and adolescents who lost loved ones, were forcibly displaced, have disabilities, or live in families in difficult life circumstances.

• Medzhybizh Community

  Helps children find family warmth and guardians receive knowledge and professional support. Today, the community has 2 family-type orphanages, 5 foster families, and 1 foster care family.

• Malovilshanska Community

  Thanks to the development of family-based care and support for families in difficult life circumstances, there are no children in institutional care in the community.

• Foxtrot Electronics and Home Appliances Retail Chain

  Supported a nationwide communication campaign to convey the importance of family for every child. The brand mascot, Foxy the fox, took symbolic guardianship of 2 forest animals, Vovchyk and Vedmedyk.

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• Viktoriia Drymalovska

  Foster mother of 5 children, civic activist, ambassador of “Ukraine for Every Child,” Lviv region

  Promotes foster parenting by personal example and debunks myths through social media, podcasts, interviews, and community meetings.

• Maryna Popeka

  Adoptive mother, ambassador of “Ukraine for Every Child,” Kryvyi Rih

  Adopted 3 children and sincerely shares her experience on social media so that more Ukrainian children grow up in family care and love.

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• Halyna Skipalska

  Director of the representative office of the international organization HealthRight International, expert in combating gender-based violence

  For 17 years, has developed the “Social Apartment for Mothers and Children” project, helping families in difficult life circumstances. Provided over 2,590 social services to nearly 1,250 families.

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• Yuliia Tarasenko

  Foster carer, Kyiv region

  Became the first foster carer in Obukhiv, helped 30 children, including those with developmental disorders. For 2 children adopted from her foster family, Yuliia and her husband became godparents.

• Kristina Demchuk

  Foster carer of a family-type orphanage, Zhytomyr region

  Together with her husband, created a family-type home and raised 7 children in a caring family environment. In Kristina’s words, “loving children with difficult lives must be done not with words, but with the heart.”

• Ivan Zekunov

  Civic activist in child and youth rights protection, Director of the Youth Policy Department of the Sumy Regional Organization “Prosvita” named after Taras Shevchenko

  Unites efforts with communities, educational institutions, and services to ensure that every child has the right to protection, support, and development.