ESTDEV and the Olena Zelenska Foundation join forces on three new projects for Ukrainian children

They announced three new joint projects creating safe educational and developmental spaces and providing essential psychosocial support for Ukrainian children.  

ESTDEV will provide €500,000 to fund these three new projects in 2026.   

The projects include renovating and furnishing a 1,000 m² bomb shelter at the Olevsk School for about 700 children. The shelter will include separate zones for learning, recreation and rest, allowing children to continue their education during air raid alerts.  

ESTDEV will also finance the expansion of the “Superheroes School” at the Zhytomyr Regional Children’s Hospital by renovating three classrooms, enabling children to continue their education while receiving treatment and rehabilitation.  

In addition, ESTDEV will fund  two children's camps for nearly 100 Ukrainian children who require psychosocial support due to war-related trauma. 

"Our cooperation with ESTDEV began with support for a large foster family. Today, it has grown into comprehensive support for children in various areas, from safe learning environments to psychosocial recovery and educational opportunities during medical treatment. Partnerships like these allow us not only to respond to the challenges of war but also to create opportunities for children to learn, grow and shape their future. I am grateful to Estonia and our partners for their continued support of Ukrainian children," said Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska. 

"Rebuilding Ukraine is the primary goal of Estonia's development cooperation. This means not only restoring what has been destroyed by war but also strengthening society's resilience. We are pleased to work with the Olena Zelenska Foundation, a reliable and results-oriented partner whose support for children has been consistent and meaningful,” said Andrea Kivi. “Children carry the future of their country, and it is our responsibility to provide them with security, education and psychological and social support. By investing in their well-being today, we are laying the foundation for a stronger and more resilient Ukraine tomorrow.”  

Cooperation between the Olena Zelenska Foundation and ESTDEV began in 2023 with the Room for Childhood initiative. Its goal was to provide permanent housing for large foster families forced to leave their homes because of the war and give families willing to take in more children suitable living conditions to do so. The first joint initiative was to build a house for Oleksii and Anastasiia Melnyk, who are raising eight foster children and had to evacuate from Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region. With ESTDEV's support, the family received a new home in the Zhytomyr Region. 

The following year, the partnership expanded further. ESTDEV funding allowed for the organising of two sessions of the Hlasno Camp for nearly 100 children affected by war trauma. The camp gave them a safe space to focus on being a child while receiving psychological support in a supportive environment.