First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska presented the keys to a newly built home to the Palamarenko family from the village of Hoholiv in the Kyiv region. The house was built as part of the Room for Childhood initiative by the First Lady’s Foundation.
Viktoriia and Oleksandr Palamarenko have been together for more than 22 years. They became a foster family in 2022 and later established a family-type children's home. Today, the Palamarenko family includes four foster children and two biological children. Thanks to their new home, they will soon be able to welcome two more children into their family.
"Supporting family-based care has always been, and remains, an unconditional priority for my Foundation. We strive to provide large foster families not only with comfortable living spaces, but with a solid foundation for the future. A new, safe home gives every child the opportunity to grow up surrounded by love and trust, and to feel secure even in the most difficult times," the President’s wife said.
The construction of these homes is the result of the Olena Zelenska Foundation's systematic work. The Foundation oversees every project from design and engaging international partners to construction, interior finishing, furnishing, and the creation of a secure underground shelter. Thanks to the Room for Childhood project, 23 large foster families have already received homes of their own.
"The United Arab Emirates was among the first partners to support the Room for Childhood project, financing the construction of ten homes for large foster families. We are grateful that this partnership continues today. The Palamarenko family is the first to receive a new home under this new phase of our cooperation, while another nine homes are currently under construction," said Victoria Romanova, CEO of the Olena Zelenska Foundation.
The project is part of the Foundation's broader effort to promote family-based care and support Ukraine's state policy of deinstitutionalization.
The first families moved into their homes under the project at the end of 2023. In 2025, Room for Childhood entered a new phase focused on supporting large foster families that are ready to welcome more children but need adequate housing to do so. Construction is currently underway on 15 additional homes for large foster families.