Children are calling on world leaders to ensure they are at the centre of Ukraine’s reconstruction as governments and donors meet in Poland this week to mobilise investment for Ukraine after four years of full-scale war, said Save the Children.
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KYIV, 25 June 2026 – Children are calling on world leaders to ensure they are at the centre of Ukraine’s reconstruction as governments and donors meet in Poland this week to mobilise investment for Ukraine after four years of full-scale war, said Save the Children.
In an open letter to state leaders ahead of the annual Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk, 16 children and young people from Save the Children’s child advisory group in Ukraine asked that decision-makers prioritise their right to education, housing and healthcare.
The children called for reliable internet access and equipment to allow them to study for exams.
The children wrote: “We have studied by candlelight. We sat in bomb shelters instead of classrooms. Some of us took exams right after a night interrupted by air raid sirens.”
Inna, 15, who will be entering her final year of high school in September, added: "Even during air raid alarms and power outages, we continue learning."
The children also asked for housing support for children and young people who have lost their homes as well as mental health and psychosocial support for adolescents.
Dasha, 18, said: “War leaves scars that are not always visible. Many of us need mental health support to cope with what we have experienced and move forward.”
Four years since the full-scale war began, children in Ukraine face a deepening humanitarian crisis. Since February 2022, at least 3,500 have been killed or injured, with many more exposed to repeated trauma, loss and insecurity. Over 1,500 days of war in Ukraine have displaced 3.9 million people inside the country, including about 860,000 children.
About 5.8 million people meanwhile have been forced to seek safety abroad.
In a caution to leaders, the children wrote: “We know that you, adults, are now deciding what our country will look like. But if these decisions are made without us, many of us will simply leave. Not because we do not love Ukraine. But because we will not feel that this country is ours too. And then, there will be no one left to build a new society.”
The children also urged that recovery efforts consider children who face additional barriers such as making shelters and schools accessible for children with disabilities.
Sonia Khush, Save the Children Country Director in Ukraine, speaking from the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk, said:
“Over four years of full-scale war have changed the lives of children in Ukraine forever. Forced from their homes and schools, separated from loved ones, and living in constant fear of air raid alerts, drones and explosions, children, despite playing no part in the war, have had their childhoods ripped away.
“Thousands of schools have been damaged or destroyed, playgrounds have been bombed into the ground, and repeated attacks on critical infrastructure have left their homes without power and water.
“In considering how to support Ukraine to recover from this war, world leaders and donors need to put children’s needs and perspectives at the centre. As they have told us: children are the future of Ukraine, and we cannot leave their needs behind. Without them there will be no one left to build a new society.”
Save the Children is also calling for the humanitarian response for Ukraine - which is currently 56% funded – to be fully resourced while attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and hospitals, must immediately cease.
Save the Children has been working in Ukraine since 2014. We have dramatically scaled up our operations since full-scale war broke out. Since February 2022, our team in Ukraine has reached more than 4.7 million people. including more than 1.9 million children, of which 448,000 have received education support.
ENDS
Sonia Khush, Save the Children Ukraine Country Director, is available for interviews from the conference in Gdansk.
For more information or to request an interview please reach out to Emily Wight, Global Media Manager: Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org
Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409
Notes to editors:
The letter in full:
Dear World Leaders,
A country cannot lose if its children believe in it. And we believe. We are the children and youth of Ukraine. And we have already lived through three different lives. We remember peace. We live in war. And we are already thinking about recovery. Because we are the ones who will live here. We will dream here. We will build the future here. And we want you to hear us.
We want to give you a glimpse into our daily lives. We have studied by candlelight. We sat in bomb shelters instead of classrooms. Some of us took exams right after a night interrupted by air raid sirens. Some have fled their homes and still do not know whether they will ever return. Some of us have disabilities, and for them, every single day has been twice as hard. Sometimes it is very difficult to find the strength to keep going. Sometimes you just want someone next to you to say, “Everything will be fine.” But we do not stop. We keep going. Because we do not give up.
We know that you, adults, are now deciding what our country will look like. But if these decisions are made without us, many of us will simply leave. Not because we do not love Ukraine. But because we will not feel that this country is ours too. And then, there will be no one left to build a new society. Those who fight against us think they will win. But they have already lost. Because we are here. We are writing this letter. And we do not give up.
Therefore, we are asking for specific actions. Establish a Youth Recovery Council so that our voice is truly heard. Provide us with reliable internet and learning equipment, because exams have not been cancelled, but studying online is nearly impossible. Support scholarships for studying abroad. Launch psychological support programs for teenagers – they are vital for our well-being. Help those who have lost their homes; housing programs for youth and IDPs matter greatly. And ensure that the reconstruction serves every child without exception. Make shelters accessible to children with disabilities. Make schools accessible to everyone. Ensure that every child, regardless of whether they have a disability, have left their home, or have stayed, has equal opportunities. Because reconstruction without inclusion is not true recovery. And support our culture and creativity, because a united country begins with a united youth.
A country cannot lose if its children believe in it. We believe. Deeply. Take us with you, and together, we will make it happen.
With love and hope,
The Children and Youth of Ukraine
