“Summer Camp ‘Level Up: Your Space to Grow’ — Healing, Learning, and Hope for Children of War”
For thousands of children in Ukraine, the war has stolen not only their homes but also their sense of safety and belonging. Many of them have lost parents, friends, or their entire family world. Living in temporary shelters, they carry invisible wounds — anxiety, fear, emotional numbness — that often go unheard.
We believe that every child deserves more than survival. They deserve the chance to heal, to rediscover their strength, and to believe in their future again. That is why we created the Summer Camp “Level Up: Your Space to Grow” — a place where trauma meets understanding, and pain transforms into resilience.
“When a child begins to smile again after months of silence — that’s not just progress, that’s healing
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Our Mission & Program
The Summer Camp “Level Up: Your Space to Grow” was designed to do more than entertain children — it was created to restore their inner balance, rebuild self-confidence, and awaken curiosity about life.
Our mission is to nurture emotional intelligence and resilience in children who have lived through war and loss, helping them develop the social and emotional tools they need to thrive in the future.
At the heart of the camp lies the licensed program “Level Up: твій простір росту”, a unique 12-module training created by Ukrainian psychologists. Over two weeks, children participated in 40 hours of guided learning, including topics like:
Self-discovery and strengths: “Who am I? The superpower of my character”
Emotional surfing: recognizing, naming, and managing emotions
Communication and teamwork: how to build trust and connection
Stress management and mindfulness: techniques for calm and focus
Leadership and responsibility: becoming the “captain of your own ship”
Dream project incubator: turning creative ideas into real action
Afternoons were filled with creative and outdoor activities — art collaborations, eco-quests, theater improvisations, and team challenges. Each activity supported the morning training theme, turning emotional learning into lived experience.
“We saw children who had forgotten how to laugh begin to lead, create, and believe in themselves again. That’s what transformation looks like.”
— Ella, child psychologist at the camp
Together, the program helped children rebuild not only emotional skills but also a sense of connection, trust, and hope — the foundations for their healing and growth.
Why It Matters
Every act of healing today shapes Ukraine’s future.
The children who come to our camp are not just survivors of war — they are the next generation of citizens, creators, and leaders who will rebuild their country.
War leaves invisible wounds that can last a lifetime. Without early psychological support, trauma can turn into cycles of fear, aggression, and disconnection. But when a child learns to understand emotions, communicate, and trust others again — the entire community begins to heal with them. Our work proves that emotional resilience is national resilience.
By strengthening children’s mental health, we invest in Ukraine’s most powerful resource — its people. Each hour of therapy and each day at camp are small acts of rebuilding peace within the human soul. According to UNICEF, children who receive consistent psychological support after trauma are three times more likely to develop stable emotional regulation and maintain healthy relationships in adulthood. This is why our foundation integrates therapy and education — so that healing becomes a sustainable change, not just a temporary comfort.
Impact & Results
In just two weeks, the “Level Up: Your Space to Grow” summer camp became a turning point for dozens of children who had lived through war, loss, and displacement.
What began as a safe space for healing grew into a living example of how emotional education can rebuild trust, joy, and inner strength.
Key Results at a Glance
36 children aged 10–16 from frontline and de-occupied regions of Ukraine
12 transformational trainings based on the Level Up psychological program
40 hours of structured emotional development and leadership sessions
14 creative and outdoor activities connecting learning with play and teamwork
2,600+ hours of total therapy and educational support delivered through UVF programs.
“I used to think no one needed me. Here, I found people who listen and believe in me.”
Sofia , 10, Kherson region
The Summer Camp “Level Up: Your Space to Grow” became possible thanks to the dedication and collaboration of many caring people and organizations who believe in healing through education. Our team of Ukrainian psychologists guided the children with empathy, helping each of them rediscover trust and self-confidence. Volunteers stayed beside the children every day, supporting them with warmth, patience, and friendship.
We are deeply grateful to our local administrations in the Kherson and Kharkiv regions, who helped identify children most in need and ensured their safe journey to the camp. We also thank our international friends and donors whose faith in our mission turned this vision into reality.
Together, we proved that when compassion meets action, transformation happens. Each partner, trainer, and supporter became part of a shared story — one where every child could finally laugh, dream, and feel loved again.
Become a partner or sponsor a child for the next camp
“I learned that my emotions are not my weakness — they are my superpower.”
Kurul, 10, Kharkiv region
“I never believed I could trust anyone again. Then we started talking, laughing, painting together… and I forgot what fear feels like”
Anya, 11, Lviv region
