HELP UKRAINE - Humanitarian relief in Chernivtsi

This summer in Chernivtsi stretched into a full month of camps, each day bringing a different rhythm and a different group of children. Not everyone joined every activity: some came for sports, others for art or music, and some just wanted to be outdoors. Together, they created a patchwork of experiences that turned ordinary summer days into something memorable.

For some, the highlight was setting off on bicycles, riding for kilometers through the countryside. A few were confident from the start, others nervous, but along the way they found support in each other, waiting, encouraging, laughing together until everyone reached the end.

Other children preferred the forest trek, which ended with cooking outdoors. They chopped vegetables, stirred pots over a fire, and shared a meal in a circle on the grass. What stayed with them wasn’t the food itself, but the feeling of doing something as a group, outside the everyday routine.

Quieter afternoons belonged to art and music therapy. Here, brushes and instruments gave space for expression without words. Some children painted in silence, others experimented with sound, and slowly the room would fill with color, rhythm, and conversation.

Sports days had a completely different energy. Indoors and outdoors, children played football, volleyball, and group games. The matches didn’t end when the whistle blew; many stayed on the steps afterward, still talking, still buzzing with energy.

And then came the cinema outing. For many, it was a rare chance to sit in front of the big screen. Watching the film was only the beginning; the real joy came later, when the children debated the story together, discovering how differently each of them had seen it.

Over the course of the month, no two days were the same. Some children joined once, others came back again and again. Each found something meaningful—whether confidence on a bike, laughter around a fire, or a new friend met in a painting session.

Thanks to your support, these camps gave children in Chernivtsi a summer full of experiences they will carry with them long after the holidays are over.