🇺🇦 ZAKHAR, 10 YEARS OLD Kherson → Vinnytsia Participant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a ten-year-old boy from Kherson who faced the full-scale war at the age of six. He remembers dark basements, an anxious journey east, changes in everyday life, and a new beginning in Vinnytsia. Despite everything he has been through, Zakhar is an ordinary schoolboy who values friendship, simple joys, and …

🇺🇦 ROSTYSLAV, 15 YEARS OLD Kherson → VinnytsiaParticipant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a boy from occupied Kherson who experienced war as a schoolchild, hid from shelling in basements, passed Russian checkpoints, erased his phone before inspections, and left his home knowing he might never return.Today, Rostyslav lives in Vinnytsia, studies, trains, and learns how to move forward with an experience no teenager …

🇺🇦 OLEKSII, 8 YEARS OLD, Kharkiv → village in Vinnytsia region → VinnytsiaParticipant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a boy from Kharkiv who left the city at the age of four, barely remembers the road and the first days of the invasion, but clearly remembers his kindergarten friends, his apartment, a new school in Vinnytsia, the “Maiak” swimming pool, and record times in the 50-meter race. Around him …

🇺🇦 OLEKSANDR, 13 YEARS OLD, Kherson → Haisyn → VinnytsiaParticipant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is a story of courage, loss, and hope. Oleksandr is a teenager from the temporarily occupied city of Kherson, who fled with his mother through military checkpoints, leaving part of his family behind in order to escape the war. They started life from scratch in the town of Haisyn in central Ukraine — with …

🇺🇦 ANASTASIIA, 15 YEARS OLD, Kherson → Zhytomyr → VinnytsiaParticipant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a 15-year-old girl from Kherson who endured occupation and forced displacement across several countries, leaving her beloved cat behind. Despite hardships and bullying at a new school, she stood strong, found friends in Vinnytsia, and is rebuilding her life. Her journey is about loss, the struggle for acceptance, and a …

🇺🇦 ANASTASIIA, 17 YEARS OLD, Marhanets → VinnytsiaParticipant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a girl from frontline Marhanets who survived shelling, forced displacement, separation from home and loved ones — yet managed to preserve friendship, dreams, and the courage to speak openly about her city. In Vinnytsia, she is building a new life and studying journalism to tell the world the stories of …

🇺🇦 MYROSLAV, 14 YEARS OLD, VINNYTSIA, PARTICIPANT OF THE PROJECT“CHILDREN OF WAR: TESTIMONIES AND ANALYSIS FOR INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY”

This is the story of a teenager whose home became a shelter for others. Myroslav grew up in Vinnytsia, far from the frontlines, but close to the heart of the war — beside a mother who, from the first days of the full-scale invasion, became a vocal advocate for the rights of internally displaced people. …

🇺🇦 VICTORIA, 19 YEARS OLD, Mykolaiv → Novyi Buh → Odesa → Vinnytsia, Participant in the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analysis for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a 19-year-old young woman from Mykolaiv who faced the explosions of war early on and was forced to move through several cities in search of safety. Today she lives in Vinnytsia, studies, works, and dreams of becoming a journalist to tell the world the truth about the lives of Ukrainians. …

🇺🇦 TYMOFII, 11 YEARS OLD, Sloviansk → Uzhhorod → Vinnytsia, Participant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

Timofiy is an 11-year-old boy from Sloviansk, a child of war who is learning to be an adult earlier than he should have. There is no hysteria in his words – only quiet concentration and inner strength. He thinks logically, speaks restrainedly, but behind each phrase you can feel a deep loss of home, separation …

🇺🇦 OLESIA, 13 YEARS OLD, Kharkiv → Poltava → Vinnytsia (Zarvantsi), Participant of the project “Children of War: Testimonies and Analytics for International Advocacy”

This is the story of a 13-year-old girl from Kharkiv whose childhood was interrupted by war and a series of forced moves. She learned early how to live with anxiety, say goodbye to what was familiar, and adapt to new places. Today, Olesia lives in the Vinnytsia region, studies, and is gradually regaining a sense …