The humanitarian project «Chervona Kalyna» is being launched in two frontline regions with the support of international donors from Italy

The kick-off events took place on February 9 in Dnipro and February 11 in Mykolaiv. The events included meetings with Italian partners, the Ukrainian Education Platform team, and regional partners – the Global 22 Charitable Foundation in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the Youth of Ukraine NGO in Mykolaiv Oblast. A press conference was also held, during which the organizers presented the key areas of work and answered questions from journalists.

The full-scale war has caused a complex crisis in the frontline regions. They remain high-risk areas and, at the same time, have become a refuge for a large number of internally displaced persons. The destruction of infrastructure, educational losses, the overload of medical and social systems, and the growing need for psychosocial support have created a situation in which fragmented assistance is no longer sufficient. The response to these challenges was the Red Kalina project, which provides a comprehensive and integrated approach to supporting people.

«Sustainable and long-lasting change comes when international donors, the public sector, and local authorities come together, when there is an analytical base and a deep understanding of the region's needs. The proactivity of communities and openness to cooperation play an important role, and the project team provides expertise and efficiency. It is this interaction, together with donor support, that allows us to create projects that truly meet people's needs and have a long-term effect», –says Mariana Kashchak, director of the Ukrainian Education Platform.

As part of the project, psychosocial support centers will operate in Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Petrykivka, and Mykolaiv. At these centers, anyone can receive psychological assistance, social support, speech therapy for children, and legal advice.

Mobile multidisciplinary teams consisting of psychologists, social workers, speech therapists, and lawyers will also be working. They will travel to rural and semi-isolated communities, providing access to services to people who were previously outside the support system.

The project pays particular attention to the educational component in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which has taken in a significant number of internally displaced persons with children. It aims to reduce the burden on the education system and provides for social and emotional learning, classes to make up for educational losses, and the provision of basic educational kits for children.

In the Mykolaiv region, there are additional plans to hold educational camps for children with a focus on emotional recovery and psychosocial stabilization.

A separate area of work is the prevention of and response to gender-based violence. The initiative includes an information campaign, as well as training and educational sessions aimed at raising awareness of the risks and protection mechanisms.

The uniqueness of the project lies in its integrated approach: assistance is built around the individual, their needs and dignity, combining emergency response with the strengthening of local services and long-term community support. The project will reach at least 4,500 unique beneficiaries in two regions.

The Red Kalina project is being implemented by the Ukrainian Education Platform in cooperation with CfP (Condivisione fra i Popoli), MEDU (Medici per i Diritti Umani), the Global 22 Charitable Organization, the Peaceful Sky of Kharkiv Charitable Foundation, and the Youth of Ukraine Public Organization, with financial support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo).