Children are particularly vulnerable during the war. The full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation affected every little Ukrainian boy and girl. However, many of them not only believe in victory but also try to contribute to it through their own actions. Children and teenagers in Ukraine sell food and various items, and use their talents to raise funds for Ukrainian defenders’ needs.
Solomiia a 6-year-old from Dnipro, raises funds for Ukraine’s Armed Forces by playing the flute. In two days, she raised enough money (about 11 thousand hryvnias) to buy one bulletproof vest. She plans to continue raising funds for as long as necessary.
Photo: Kseniia Reut.
Yevheniia, Matvii, and two other Odesa schoolchildren are selling their toys at a makeshift stand to raise money for army bulletproof vests.
Photo: Suspilne.
Eva, a 5-year-old from Pustomyty, bakes cupcakes with her mother and grandmother and sells them to raise funds for Ukrainian soldiers.
Varia, a 7-year-old from Kropyvnytskyi, wanted to purchase a bulletproof vest for the Armed Forces. She didn’t have enough money in her personal savings, so she sold flowers to raise funds. In just five hours, she was able to gather 10,000 hryvnias.
In the center of Lviv, children launched a similar campaign, selling flowers grown by their parents to raise funds for the purchase of protective equipment for military personnel.
Arina, a 7-year-old from Khmelnytskyi, also started selling toys in the middle of the city to raise money for defenders. Her friend Maksym joined the cause.
Zlata, a 16-year-old from Ivano-Frankivsk, gathered a group of peer volunteers with whom she makes and sells patriotic jewelry. The girl began volunteering in early March when her father set out to defend the country. The teenagers plan to donate all the money they have raised to the Ukrainian army.
Photo: Suspilne Carpathians.
Sofia, a 7-year-old from Mykolaiv, collected more than a thousand dollars for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by selling her artwork. Her paintings reflect her personal account of the war. For example, in one of them, she painted geese that “shot down” a Russian plane. The drawings are available for purchase through one of Kazakhstan’s online platforms, as well as through The Peace Dragon community in the United States. The funds are transferred directly to Ukraine’s Armed Forces’ crypto wallet.
Photo: Svitlana Vovk/Suspilne Mykolaiv
During the full-scale war, Maksym, an 11-year-old from Pokrovsk, moved with his family to Chernivtsi. When he arrived, he began looking for work to help the army. He took out the garbage, brought drinking water, walked the animals, and went shopping. Maksym donated his earnings to the purchase of ammunition for Ukrainian defenders.
All Ukrainian children are deeply affected by the war.. Many have had their lives radically changed because they have lost their homes or been forced to evacuate. But today’s generation of children and adolescents knows precisely who the enemy of their state is and has seen firsthand how it can be protected. Young people, like adults, believe in Ukraine’s victory and come up with their own ways to support their country.
8-year-old Alisa from Kryvyi Rih has been making pottery for two years. During the full-scale war, she decided to help the Ukrainian military with her skills. The girl creates stands, plates, jugs, and figurines and then puts them up for sale on social networks. She transfers the funds to the assistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In Kolomyia, two brothers, Vladislav and Oleksandr, donated 3,000 hryvnias to the needs of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade soldiers, who were collecting for a gyro scooter.
In Mykolaiv, Halychyna, students of a Sunday school organized a charity fair. Back in March, children aged 8-12 planted tomato and cabbage seedlings and flowers. They constantly cared for the flowers and then planted them in containers so that they could sell them. Parishioners returning from Sunday services became clients of the pupils. They raised almost 3 thousand hryvnias, which were transferred to the quadcopter for defenders.
In Lviv, 9-year-old Daryna creates postcards with words of gratitude and support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and then sells them through social networks. She writes unique inscriptions for each of the postcards. The young volunteer and her mother buy food for the military with the money earned.
10-year-old Tanya from Chernivtsi cut off and sold her 58 cm long braid. She grew it from childhood but decided to do so to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Three men from her family are currently fighting in eastern Ukraine. For the hair she sold, Tanya received a little more than 3,000 hryvnias.
Children regularly help the “Angar” volunteer headquarters in Lutsk. 4th-grade student Lustina raised 800 hryvnias from a master class on making toy rabbits. Young Maria sold the cherries she picked in her godfather’s garden to help the volunteers financially. In addition, children independently collect parcels for defenders with necessary products.
14-year-old singer Artem Fesko, the winner of one of the seasons of TV show “Ukraine Has Talent” , was evacuated to Poland with his family due to a full-scale Russian invasion. In addition to studying, he performs at charity concerts in Poland. At one of these performances, participants raised almost $1 million to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
12-year-old Sasha from Vinnytsia weaves bracelets made of small elastic bands and sells them to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He does not ask for a fixed amount for his products, but asks the buyer to donate the amount they feel appropriate. Sashko has already transferred over 2,500 hryvnias to the National Fund for Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
10-year-old Ostap from Shepetivka donated all his savings from the holidays to buy a portable solar charger for the military. He says that he really believes in the victory of Ukraine and wants to help bring victory closer.
