First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska took part in the award ceremony of the national competition “Charitable Ukraine,” which honors the best initiatives.
“While our defenders hold the front line, thousands and even millions of volunteers support the supply lines – both for the front and for the country. Self-organization and cooperation to help others have become a true superpower of our time and of all of Ukraine,” the President’s wife emphasized.
Olena Zelenska thanked Ukrainian and international volunteers and philanthropists, noting that the volunteer movement in Ukraine is now one of the strongest in the world.
“We are a country that cares and has become a hub for those who care around the world,” the First Lady noted.
She also presented the results of the Olena Zelenska Foundation, established in the first year of the full-scale invasion. Thanks to the support of partners, 17 shelters have been equipped in schools and kindergartens; Schools of Superheroes have been created in six hospitals; 65,000 students in frontline regions have been provided with gadgets for online learning. In addition, through the Foundation’s projects, 15 large foster families who lost their homes due to Russian aggression have received new housing, a stadium in Hostomel has been restored, and reconstruction of a children’s center in Borodyanka has begun.
“Each of these projects is not about buildings or repairs. It is about children. About their safety, support, access to education, about their right to dream and to be heard while we defend our country,” the First Lady noted.
“Charitable Ukraine” is a national competition that has been recognizing the best initiatives in charity for 18 years in a row. This year, it received a record number of applications – over 1,700 across 27 categories in the fields of healthcare, education, culture, environment, and Ukraine’s defense.