A Gen.Hope Center Has Opened in Ukraine to Study and Restore Childhood Wounded by War
On November 20, World Children’s Day, Kyiv hosted a conference that brought together like-minded partners, psychologists, educators, researchers, and representatives of civil society initiatives working on the topic of Ukrainian childhood during wartime. Participants discussed the systemic challenges children face and the comprehensive approaches needed to support them on their path to recovery.
The central element of the event was the presentation of Gen.Hope — a Center for Excellence in Children’s and Adolescents' Mental Health in wartime, created as a flagship initiative of Gen.Ukrainian.
Its purpose is to restore childhood shattered by war by integrating science, practice, and both Ukrainian and international expertise. The project is implemented with the institutional support of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE).
Gen.Ukrainian founder Oksana Lebedieva emphasized that supporting a child is impossible without working with the full environment surrounding them:
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A child does not exist in a vacuum — they interact with their school, their doctor, and their community. But when these systems fail to see one another, a child affected by trauma doesn’t enter a pathway of support, but a pathway of exhaustion
This is why, she noted, Gen.Hope represents the next step in the development of Gen.Ukrainian — a model of systemic support that works not with fragments of a child’s experience, but with the entire ecosystem shaping their life.
Anna Borshchevska, Program Director of Gen.Hope, stressed that launching the Center is an attempt to finally integrate everything the child-support system has been lacking during the war:
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At Gen.Hope, we are building a strong ‘safety net’ for children who have experienced the trauma of war. We gather the best practices, build a community of psychologists and educators, work to protect children’s rights, and develop modern ways to honor their experiences
In this way, Gen.Hope becomes a space where the experience of war is transformed into knowledge — and knowledge into support that protects childhood now and in the future.
Svitlana Denysenko, Director of KSE Foundation, highlighted the value of long-term partnership between the Gen.Ukrainian and KSE communities:
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One of our psychology students has already worked twice with children in Gen.Camp and became a ‘safety anchor’ for many of them. This is a great example of how the collaboration between KSE and Gen.Ukrainian is built — it’s not about institutions, but about communities that support one another. And Gen.Hope will bring together what is most needed today to create sustainable solutions for children — practice, science, and community
The First Study of the Emotional Well-Being of Children Who Experienced Deportation and Occupation
The event featured the presentation of the White Book, a joint publication by Gen.Ukrainian and KSE. This study examines the emotional and psychological state of children who have lived through occupation, forced displacement, or the loss of their homes. It includes children aged 6 to 17 who participated in psychological interventions within the Gen.Camp program, developed using evidence-based trauma-focused approaches.
The materials provide practical recommendations for specialists and educators: how to create a safe learning environment; how to avoid retraumatization; how to support the development of self-regulation, critical thinking, and a sense of control in children.
KSE Academic Director of the Psychology Program, researcher Valeria Palii, emphasized the importance of studying childhood now:
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I am not only a researcher — I am a mother. My daughter’s name is Nadiia, and for me, collaborating with Gen.Hope is especially symbolic. The generation growing up during the war will be different — with its own unique challenges and strengths. These are the future students of our universities, future professionals, and future citizens. To understand how to support them as they grow up during wartime, we must study their experiences today
The Liberov Photography Exhibition: Two Worlds Meeting in One Space
An important part of the event was the photo exhibition by Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov. The photographs brought together two worlds: the reality of war and destruction they documented in Ukraine’s hotspots, and the world of Gen.Camp, where children receive support, access to a safe space, and a chance to heal.
This juxtaposition became a visual affirmation of the mission behind Gen.Hope: to build a bridge between trauma and recovery.
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100% of the collected funds are directed to rehabilitation intensives, scientific activities, support of the Gen. children and psycho-social support of their families.
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Psychological support to children is provided free of charge thanks to patronage
The purpose of the Gen.Camp:
stabilization of the psychological and emotional state of a child after a traumatic experience.
The duration of the program: 21 days.
Location: Ukraine.
stabilization of the psychological and emotional state of a child after a traumatic experience.
The duration of the program: 21 days.
Location: Ukraine.
