On July 7 and 9, we welcomed important guests to our Save Ukraine Community Centers in Hatne and Kharkiv. Our partners from the German humanitarian organization Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH) visited us to support the launch of our new child assistance program — EMPOWER. Among the visitors were Hayden Rohr, Security Advisor from DKH’s Berlin office; Oleksii Nebera, Security Manager of DKH Ukraine; and Andriy Vaskovych, Head of the DKH Ukraine office.

During their visits, the DKH team:
🔸 Assessed the local security conditions
🔸 Met with our center teams
🔸 Discussed the implementation roadmap for EMPOWER and possibilities for expanding support for more children

What does the EMPOWER project bring?
🔹 Since May 1, DKH’s support has covered Day Centers for children with disabilities in Irpin and Hatne
🔹 As of July 1, the program has expanded to eight additional locations closer to the front lines: two centers in Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, Pivdenne, and additional sites in Kyiv, Irpin, and Hatne

Through EMPOWER project, children and families at Save Ukraine centers receive all the essentials: a safe space to just be kids; psychosocial support; educational assistance in Ukrainian language, mathematics, and English. They also have life skills training, rehabilitation services (for children with disabilities or special needs), a welcoming, caring environment that fosters trust and friendship.

Many of the children we’ve just evacuated from occupation zones need more than shelter — they need warmth, attention, and emotional support. And that’s exactly what we’re giving them.

We are deeply grateful to Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe for their trust, partnership, and invaluable contribution to the healing and recovery of Ukrainian children.

“EMPOWER: Education, Mental health, Protection, and Opportunities for Well-being and Enhanced Resilience” is a project implemented by Save Ukraine in partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe. The initiative covers Save Ukraine’s Day Centers in Kyiv, Irpin, Hatne, Kharkiv (2 locations), Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, and Pivdenne.