Olena never imagined her daughter would be born under fire. There were no doctors. No electricity. No pain relief. Just a midwife, brave enough to come — and explosions that shook the walls of the maternity ward. That’s how little Sofia came into the world — in the middle of a war.

Olena and her husband Serhii have two children. Their son, 4-year-old Danylo, lost his ability to speak after one of the attacks. Armed men in masks — fighters from Chechnya and the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” — repeatedly broke into their home. They interrogated the parents in front of the children. Constant fear, violence, and trauma left deep emotional scars. Both children — born or raised under occupation, stress, and instability — are now at risk of developmental delays and long-term disability.

That’s why Save Ukraine places a special emphasis on support during the earliest, most vulnerable stage of a child’s life. For children like Sofia and Danylo, as well as thousands of other war-affected and at-risk children across Ukraine, we’ve developed our Early Intervention and Sure Start Programs. These services help support pregnant women, mothers with newborns, and vulnerable young children with the risk of developmental concerns early and provide the specialized support needed to mitigate the impact of trauma, displacement, and war from birth till the age of 6 years old.

Thanks to volunteers, Olena’s family escaped the occupied territory and are now recovering at one of Save Ukraine’s Rehabilitation Centres, and Sofia and Danylo are already receiving targeted care to prevent development of disabilities.

We shared this story with the Australian Ambassador to Ukraine, Paul Lehmann, during his recent visit to our center. He was deeply moved — and sadly, this is not an isolated case. It reflects the brutal reality faced by thousands of Ukrainian children living under Russian occupation or fleeing from it. Through Australia’s support, we’ve equipped our centers with tools that make early recovery possible — and prevent lifelong consequences.

We are sincerely grateful to the Government of Australia, Ambassador Paul Lehmann, and the entire Australian team for their strong and unwavering support.

You are not just helping — you are giving Ukrainian children a future.

Together, we can do more. 💛

*Names have been changed for safety reasons.