One child was rescued from the temporarily occupied territory

As part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, together with the volunteer initiative Humanity Funds, helped Mariia* and her parents return from the temporarily occupied territory.

After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the family found themselves under Russian occupation. Throughout this time, Mariia and her parents were forced to conceal their pro-Ukrainian views, as well as the fact that their daughter continued to study online at a Ukrainian school.

Later, her parents transferred Mariia to another Ukrainian school, where she continues to study as an external student.

According to her mother, years of living under occupation and the constant fear that the occupation authorities might discover the family’s views and their daughter’s enrolment in a Ukrainian school had a negative impact on Mariia’s emotional well-being.

Another major challenge was the almost complete lack of access to essential medical care.

Mariia’s mother was experiencing worsening eyesight but could not undergo a medical examination. Before the full-scale invasion, her father had undergone surgery following a severe arm fracture. Due to the occupation, he was unable to receive the necessary rehabilitation, and his arm mobility remains severely limited.

Specialists from the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, together with Humanity Funds, helped the family organise a safe departure from the temporarily occupied territory.

Today, Mariia and her parents are already in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Now, the girl can continue her education at a Ukrainian school openly, without fear of persecution because of her identity, while her parents can finally seek the medical care they need.

The family now faces a period of adaptation and reintegration, recovery from their experiences and the opportunity to build their future in safety.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children remain under Russian control. We continue our efforts to ensure that every child can receive the support they need and return home safely.

*Name changed for security reasons.

The family’s return was made possible with the support of the Federal Government of Germany as part of the “JOFU: Joining Forces for Child Protection in Ukraine” project, implemented by the Ukrainian Child Rights Network in partnership with the Joining Forces consortium and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.