Help Us Help
Children
We are dedicated to improving the quality of life for children living in orphanages in Ukraine, as well as children disadvantaged and displaced as a result of the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine. This project provides orphaned children and those deprived of parental care with immediate aid and ongoing support. Our mission is to improve their quality of life and health and create opportunities that allow them to realize their potential. We provide tools that can be taught and learned, but have also created a strong network of support and guidance – a notion of belonging to our extended Help Us Help family.
Every year since 1993, the organization has delivered summer and winter camps in Ukraine that focus on building life and leadership skills and psychological rehabilitation. In addition, a committee selects from camp attendees student-leaders to qualify for Help Us Help: Scholars.
Ruslana’s Summer Camp
Help Us Help’s annual Summer Camp is a long-standing staple of Help Us Help's Programming in Ukraine. The camps have benefitted thousands of children since 1996!
As part of their donation, our first Benefactor, the Temerty Foundation, honours Help Us Help's Founder, Ruslana Wrzesnewskyj, by naming this important Program: Ruslana's Summer Camp!
The Cause
Today there are an estimated 106,000 children living in 750 orphanages/institutions across Ukraine. This figure does not include those displaced as a result of the current conflict in the East.
- Only 8,000 are true orphans, the rest are socially orphaned (meaning that their caregivers are unable to care for them).
- On average, 250 children enter the system each day, significantly more than the number graduating.
- 20% of children graduating the system end up in prison.
- 10% attempt or commit suicide.
- Less than 1% make it to university.
On-going Initiatives
Annual Summer Camps (since 1996) – societal and life skills training for orphans, displaced children, and children of fallen soldiers.
Annual Winter Camps (since 2004) – societal and life skills training for orphans, displaced children, and children of fallen soldiers.
Scholarship Program (since 1998) – financial scholastic support and mentorship through seminars and life-skills training workshops.
Anti-Trafficking Initiative
AIDS Awareness Programs
Winter Camp 2022 Replacement Program
While disappointed that the pandemic continued to prevent us from hosting an in-person camp in 2022, we were excited to announce a Winter Camp 2022 Replacement Program, titled “Christmas for 1500 Children”, as part of our “Christmas Wish Campaign”.
The program consisted of two parts: 1) “holiday” humanitarian aid delivery that includes warm winter clothing and hygiene products, 2) an educational story-book work-book, which focuses on teaching important lessons regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as Ukrainian Holiday Traditions in a fun and interactive way. We were able to reach 1500 children with this program!
Typically, our scholars participate in our Winter Camp programming as counsellors and workshop leaders. This year, they continued to be actively involved in helping grant the wishes of children living in residential institutions by implementing Help Us Help’s Christmas Wish Campaign!
Download our educational and interactive workbook now!
Winter Camp 2021 Replacement Program
Дух Незвичайного Різдва
THE SPIRIT OF THE UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS
Winter Camp usually takes place in Vorokhta, Ukraine, and hosts approximately 100 children from various orphanages and residential institutions across Ukraine. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, Help Us Help made the difficult decision to cancel our Winter Camp that would have taken place in January 2021.
Although we are unable to deliver our regular programming and share in the Christmas spirit in-person this year, our replacement program will reach more children than we are usually able to bring to camp! Additionally, we have the opportunity to include families that, as a direct result of the COVID-19 Children’s Relief Initiative, chose to keep their children at home at the commencement of the academic year rather than send them back into the residential institution system. Each participant will receive a colouring-storybook, a Ukrainian Christmas Traditions Workbook, and a humanitarian aid package that will provide them with hygiene products and warm clothing among other things!
Most importantly, our talented and creative Help Us Help scholarship students are completely immersed in the creation and execution of this alternative program!
Every “box” in the logo below represents one of four parts of the virtual Winter Camp Program: Kolyada & Vertep, Christmas Traditions Workbook, Colouring Storybook, Humanitarian Aid Packages. Click on any box below to learn more!
CLICK HERE to download our Educational and Interactive Workbook!
Check out our 2021 Virtual Kolyada & Vertep!
Virtual Summer Camp 2020
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, our annual Help Us Help Summer Camp was adapted onto a virtual camp! Click on the button below to learn more about Summer Camp 2020!