Child Protection Ukraine Project #75407

Blind children in the warm palms of art

by Kharkiv rehabilitation centre 'Pravo vibora'

Project Report | Oct 23, 2026
A Dream Turned Reality: "Ukrainian Childrenin the Embrace of Art"

By VALENTYNA BUTENKO | Praject Leader

There are moments when you realize that dreams truly do come true—provided there are people by your side who believe in them.
An international retreat focused on parental skills—titled "Ukrainian Children in the Embrace of Art"—was held at Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, for families raising children with complex visual impairments.
For Ukrainian children from frontline areas and their mothers, this was more than just a trip to the seaside. It offered a chance to step into a safe environment—if only for a while—to experience care, make new friends, receive professional support, and simply be together, free from the anxieties and constant tension of the war.
The project aimed to create a safe space for rehabilitation and well-being, designed for children with developmental needs and their mothers. Here, every child could develop at their own pace, discover new potential, socialize, and find joy; meanwhile, mothers could receive support, regain their strength, and realize that they are not alone.
Throughout the project, the children and their mothers were supported by an international, multidisciplinary team of specialists from Ukraine, Poland, and Germany, including:
a physical rehabilitation specialist,
a teacher for the visually impaired (typhlopedagogue),
a psychologist,
a sensory integration specialist,
an IT/computer technology specialist,
an orientation and mobility instructor,
a speech therapist,
and an art therapist.
Through art, movement, creativity, social interaction, and specialized rehabilitation sessions, we help children unlock their potential, while empowering parents to discover new resources to support their children. Every day was filled with genuine smiles, children’s laughter, and incredible creativity. We painted, sang, and discovered hidden talents. Each child’s drawing tells a small story of great hope, peace, and love for our native Ukraine. We witnessed how, through creativity, the children found joy, while their mothers found much-needed support and peace of mind. Together, we became one big family!
This project was made possible thanks to the big hearts of caring people.
The project has come to an end, but the creativity and bright memories will remain in our hearts forever. We believe in our future—and in new, happy reunions!

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Jul 6, 2026
Art heals

By Valentyna Butenko | Projct Leader

Dear friends! We are grateful to each of you for your support during these challenging times for everyone.

The relevance of our project, "Blind Children in the Warm Palms of Art"—which offers rehabilitative art therapy workshops for families from Ukraine raising children with severe visual impairments—lies in the urgent need for support.

Russian military aggression has brought tragedy to Ukraine. Hundreds of homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.

Children have witnessed shelling, the destruction of their homes, and the deaths of loved ones. War and evacuation are grueling ordeals for everyone, but they are particularly difficult—psychologically—for children with complex health conditions and their families.

Issues include stress, depression, low mood, emotional instability, impulsive emotional reactions, a sense of emotional rejection by others, loneliness, interpersonal conflicts, heightened anxiety, fears, and phobias.

Our project aims to help blind Ukrainian children restore their emotional balance through art therapy, learn to cope with anxiety, fear, aggression, and emotional burnout, and gain the opportunity for full development while preventing developmental delays.

During the reporting period, our organization’s social enterprise, "SotsIntel," adapted and published a series of books featuring psychotherapeutic tales: *Keys to Children's Hearts* and *Special Tales*.

In our art workshops, psychologists help children not only gain knowledge about emotions and feelings but also learn to recognize and express their emotions and build confidence in interacting with their peers.

It is important for us to support every child—not only when signs of severe stress are already present but also as a preventive measure against emotional exhaustion.

In April 2026, as part of the project, we took 15 families from Ukraine to Pavlovi Bani (Bulgaria). At the EOD wellness center, mothers and children improved their health, received support from rehabilitation specialists, and participated in "Vaccination Against Stress" workshops based on fairy-tale therapy.

Project participants were delighted by the "Journey to the Land of Mom's Hugs" family game, which incorporated elements of the Veronica Sherborne method and play therapy.

Workshops on creating "Helper Dolls" and a magical "Wishing Tree" brought great joy to both the mothers and the children.

Evening dance-movement therapy sessions gave mothers the opportunity to express feelings that are hard to put into words and to relieve stress and tension.

We plan to organize a summer art-therapy and wellness camp in August 2026 for 25 children and their mothers from Kharkiv, a city located in a combat zone.

Attachments:

Moms_reviews_of_the_project.docx (DOCX)

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