As the year 2023 comes to an end, it marks another year of tireless struggle for the freedom of Ukraine and the happy future of our children.

Over 365 days, we Ukrainians, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, renewed ourselves daily and continued working for the sake of our country’s victory and peaceful sky. We suffered many losses this year but also managed to preserve much.

For the Save Ukraine team, 2023 was both challenging and fruitful. Today, we proudly reflect on 12 achievements of the past year that we cherish:

1️⃣ Every day, we ventured to the front-line towns and villages in the east and south to evacuate Ukrainian families from danger, sometimes risking our lives.

2️⃣ We rescued residents of Kherson and their pets who found themselves at the epicenter of the Kakhovka disaster. Our volunteers faced enemy fire multiple times.

3️⃣ Alongside partners, we assisted families in rebuilding their lives. In collaboration with World Vision, we provided humanitarian support to 800 Kherson families after the flood. Over 150 families, nearly 600 people, found temporary home through the Fort Home project.

4️⃣ We brought back 198 children from occupation and Russia, including 59 orphaned children. We not only reunited them with their families but also helped them recover from their experiences.

5️⃣ We were the voice of children on global platforms, speaking before the Helsinki Commission, the UN Security Council, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the British Parliament. We contributed to creating the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

6️⃣ Every day, we shared their stories in global media. Some notable examples include “How a Ukrainian grandmother traveled to Russian-occupied territory to find her abducted grandson” and The New York Times photo project “Stolen Children of Ukraine.”

7️⃣ We hosted diplomats, ministers, and partners from the USA, EU countries, and the UK, doing everything possible to make children’s voices heard worldwide.

8️⃣ We fulfilled the wishes and dreams of our children, such as Abdul from Kherson, who had a professional photoshoot and the opportunity to see the views of Kyiv from a glass bridge without a wheelchair. We continue to do this every day.

9️⃣ We helped the children in our centers restore and return to childhood, organizing bike rides, excursions, hikes, pizza parties, and Christmas celebrations.

🔟 Alongside PrivatBank, we assisted children who lost parents due to war in continuing their education and development.

1️⃣1️⃣ We implemented joint projects with USAID, World Vision, Harold Buffett, Chef Jose, Ukrzaliznytsia, PrivatBank, and others to aid children and families affected by the war.

1️⃣2️⃣ We received three prestigious global awards: the Magnitsky Award, the Oxi Courage Award, and the Peace Prize in South Korea.

This is just a small part of the work of the Save Ukraine team this year. Our mission remains unchanged – rescue children and their families from combat zones, Russia, and occupied territories, restore them after trauma, and rebuild their lives in new places. We hope that the coming year will bring more joyful moments and victories. 

🎄 Wishing you peace, kindness, and harmony! Happy New Year 2024!