Building Literacy of Refugee Ukrainian Children

Every book tells a story. But for children who have fled war, a book can mean something more — a thread back to what is familiar, a quiet signal that the world can still be safe. This is what drives the work of the Universal Reading Foundation.

Over the last three months, more than 9,540 books have reached children and families across Poland through our initiatives — including #BooksGiveRefuge and #BookOnPrescription. Ukrainian-language titles and Polish-Ukrainian bilingual editions are finding their way into the hands of young readers who need them most, helping restore comfort, continuity, and a sense of belonging.

We bring books to the places where children already are: schools and kindergartens, libraries and community centers, healthcare facilities. In each of these spaces, a book in a familiar language can do something quietly powerful — ease anxiety, support emotional resilience, and help a child feel that they are not entirely far from home.

But belonging is also built through shared experience. Ukrainian children join their Polish peers at author meetings — in Warsaw, for instance — live, joyful encounters with children's book authors where curiosity travels easily across language lines. These gatherings spark friendships, deepen children's growing familiarity with Polish, and open up a whole new world of Polish-language books to discover together.

You make all of this possible. Thank you for believing in the power of books. And for helping us place them, one by one, into the hands of children who need them.

Our work continues to demonstrate how powerful books can be in times of uncertainty and change. With the support of our donors, the Universal Reading Foundation stands alongside children affected by the war in Ukraine as they rebuild their everyday reality in Poland.

We continue to support children whose daily routines were disrupted by war and who are rebuilding stability in Poland. For many of them, books are far more than educational tools—they offer comfort, familiarity, and a sense of safety in an unfamiliar world.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners, we are able to deliver books to the places where children are cared for each day, including schools and kindergartens where they learn and play, libraries and community centers where they feel welcomed, and healthcare facilities where their well-being is protected.

In each of these settings, books gently support children’s adaptation to a new cultural and educational environment. They help prevent reading exclusion, allow children to stay connected to their native language, and restore a sense of safety and normal life.

At its heart, our work is about emotional support and psychological stability. Access to stories in a familiar language helps children process difficult experiences, reduces anxiety, and restores a sense of continuity at a time when so much has been lost.

In 2025 alone, through the Universal Reading Foundation’s initiatives, including #BooksGiveRefuge and #BookOnPrescription, more than 57,700 books have reached children and families across Poland. Also this year, Ukrainian-language titles, Polish-Ukrainian bilingual books, and English editions are helping children and families regain comfort, continuity, and a sense of belonging amid displacement and change.

Beyond physical books, we offer free online educational materials in Ukrainian. These resources help children be understood in the classroom, support teachers in their daily work, and ease the first steps into the Polish school system—often a challenging experience for children carrying the weight of displacement.

None of this would be possible without you. Your trust, generosity, and belief in the power of books allow us to reach children and families at moments when hope, stability, and kindness matter most. Each book you help provide is a quiet but powerful reminder that these children are not alone. Thank you for standing with us—and for helping us continue this work in the months ahead.