“Since she started attending the club, my daughter has made friends and found teachers she truly likes. Valeriia has begun to open up more — it feels as if she is blossoming, no longer afraid to try something new. She has also started drawing,” Valeriia’s mother shares.
Valeriia has experienced serious health-related challenges connected to her eyesight: she has undergone one surgery on each eye, wears glasses, and requires ongoing medical supervision. This experience has taught her to be attentive to her own well-being, which is why every act of care holds special meaning for her.
Valeriia is a regular participant at the “Girls. Children” club in Kharkiv. Regular group psychological sessions, art therapy, and creative activities have helped her express her emotions more freely, feel more confident, and find support among her peers. This circle of communication has become an important resource for Valeriia — a space where she is accepted, supported, and able to be herself. During all activities, she shows herself to be an active, lively, and engaged participant.
The specialists working in the space were genuinely impressed by her strength and determination. On one occasion, despite a temporary leg injury, Valeriia came to a Saint Nicholas Day celebration even while using crutches, because it was important for her to be part of that day. Her perseverance and the light in her eyes continue to inspire the club’s specialists.
Today, Valeriia’s energy, openness, and desire to grow are a vivid example of how support, a safe environment, and belief in a child can give rise to small, yet profoundly meaningful victories.
The project “Providing Multi-Sectoral Humanitarian Assistance to Conflict-Affected Populations in Ukraine (Ukraine Response Consortium)” is funded by the American people through the U.S. Government, Ukraine Response Consortium, Acted Ukraine, and World Vision Ukraine in cooperation with the NGO Girls. The contents are the responsibility of the NGO Girls and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government.
Photo: NGO Girls. Valeriia during activities at the “Girls. Children” club in Kharkiv.
