«The best hugs are the ones waiting at home»: The final event of the «Hugs» project took place in Odesa
Updated: Oct 15
A two-day intensive workshop was held in Odesa, bringing together experts, government officials, and foster parents from six regions of Ukraine to discuss the development of family-based care. Participants reviewed the results of the «Obiymy» project and discussed the transition from one-time assistance to the development of sustainable child protection systems in communities.
On September 14–15, the final event of the «Hugs» project took place in Odesa – a two - day intensive workshop that brought together representatives from six regions of Ukraine: social service professionals, government officials, international partners, foster parents, guardians, and caregivers from state-run children’s institutions. This event demonstrated how, thanks to the strategic partnership between UEP and the International Rescue Committee, it is possible to strengthen communities and create opportunities for every child.
It was symbolic that the event took place on the eve of Adoption Day under the slogan: «Every child has the right to a hug, but the best hugs are the ones waiting at home».
Participants discussed the development of alternative forms of family-based care, the findings of the project’s research, preventing burnout among professionals, and overcoming barriers. Speakers emphasized that preserving biological families and developing family-based care are matters crucial to the country’s future, requiring interagency cooperation and support for those who provide assistance.
To ensure these changes are sustainable, international partners and Ukrainian implementers stress the importance of shifting from one-time assistance to building strong local systems.
«Helping 100 children is a wonderful result, but the key question is: what will happen to them next? We must invest in the capacity of local authorities and create systems in which children do not lose their families in the first place. Each of us has our own role, but the goal is the same –for children to grow up in safety and love,» noted Hilal Keles, Child Protection Coordinator at the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
It is precisely this approach to creating a people-centered ecosystem that forms the foundation of the “Hugs” project’s philosophy.
«For us, the outcome of the project is not the number of activities or indicators, but the quality of interaction, the sustainability of solutions, and what remains in the communities after the project ends,» noted Mariana Kashchak, director of the Ukrainian Education Platform.
The «Response to the Crisis in Ukraine» project is being implemented by the Ukrainian Education Platform Charitable Organization with support from the International Rescue Committee.
