As the UNAWEZA Foundation, we now focus on supporting foster families who are evacuated from Ukraine and the children from foster homes. We work with the FAMILY FOSTER CARE COALITION (Koalicja na rzecz rodzinnej opieki zastępczej), which consists of 20 associations and foundations.

For several days, we have been witnesses to an unimaginable tragedy in Ukraine. In the face of these unprecedented events, Poles are performing real miracles. This is yet another proof that the IMPOSSIBLE DOES NOT EXIST, and that even the smallest gesture can change people's lives. We want to focus on the most vulnerable ones, namely Ukrainian children who have already experienced the trauma and lost their parents. Every help is needed now.

According to government information, Poland is currently prepared to accept 1.400 children (in larger groups, without separating children who used to live together). However, at the moment we are expecting about 6-7 THOUSAND CHILDREN! This number will certainly grow, and the situation of the evacuees is changing from hour to hour. The evacuation is being coordinated at the level of both countries.

We want to support small, local organizations providing assistance to refugee foster families and children from orphanages and other institutions in Ukraine, especially Coalition member organizations.

Funds are needed for essential assistance, safe transport of children and families, therapeutic activities, medical treatment, food or housing for numerous foster families. One of the first to be evacuated to Poland was a foster mother from Odessa, who looks after 15 children with special needs! There are more and more such people and they need not only short-term, but also LONG-TERM help.

"In a special way we want to take care of children from orphanages and children from foster families. This is a group that has already experienced complex developmental trauma in their lives so far and is now facing the effects of the trauma of war" - says Katarzyna Klimiuk-Bibik, Board Member of the Foster Family Care Coalition.

The raise will also allow us to organize comprehensive and holistic care for children who are currently in Poland. We would like to equip people working with the youngest from Ukrainian orphanages and their caregivers with knowledge on working with people experiencing trauma (including war trauma and PTSD). We will conduct free trainings for Polish employees of orphanages, volunteers and people working directly with Ukrainian children.

We will organize therapeutic workshops for children based on the TBRI method (dedicated to children and young people with experience of trauma) in order to be able to take care of their needs and experiences as soon as possible. Furthermore, we will use the funds to pay for translators from Polish into Ukrainian, so that the workshops can be fully used by carers of Ukrainian orphanages and Ukrainian children affected by the war.

Additionally, part of the income from the MARTYNA.WORLD shop, which we regularly donate to the statutory purposes of the UNAWEZA Foundation, will be transferred this month to our project for Ukraine.

Depending on the needs and changing situation, we will inform about all the changes concerning the use of all collected funds and launch further collections.

TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE!