Can you imagine this?

You’re 15. Your only treasure — a pair of ballroom dance shoes.

In school, you wear a vyshyvanka to honor your culture. For that, classmates shove gum in your hair, throw your notebooks in the trash, call you “ukropka”. One girl beats you because her stepfather died fighting for Russia. Teachers humiliate you, write reports branding your family “politically unreliable.”

Officials threaten your mother: lose your parental rights — or lose your daughter.

This was Daryna’s life in occupation. For 11 years, she endured bullying, intimidation, and propaganda. She fought back the only way she could — by excelling at studies, debating teachers, and refusing to sing Putin’s anthem or carry the Russian flag.

Finally, her mother made the only choice left: escape.

With Save Ukraine’s help, Daryna and her mom found freedom. Today, she dances again. She teaches rescued children. She competes in chess tournaments. On stage, in those same shoes she carried across Europe, she is finally herself.

Behind every number is a story like Daryna’s — a stolen childhood reclaimed.

We are deeply grateful to #WeAreAllUkrainians gGmbH, Tatjana Kiel, Dörte Kruppa for their tireless work and commitment to helping Ukraine. Your support not only helps Ukrainian children endure these dark times — it saves lives and helps restore their hope for the future. 🙏

👉 Join our mission to bring more children to safety.

Donate here!