One school visit changes everything

The invitation is simple: would Volodymyr and Tetiana Avilova visit a school and hold a brief meeting with the children of soldiers?

They accept and they come to speak to children carrying weights no child should carry. Fathers fighting somewhere far away. Mothers struggling alone at home. Futures clouded by uncertainty about whether their families will stay intact.

The meeting lasts less than an hour. But something shifts.

The school’s director approaches Volodymyr afterward. “Thank you for bringing these children to our attention,” she says. “You’ve made the teachers more aware of their needs.” Children who had been invisible suddenly became visible.

News spreads quickly through Kremenchuk’s education network. When other schools heard about this visit, they asked the Avilovas to come to their school too.

Now, Voldymyr and Tetiana visit schools regularly. Each time, they share a message these children desperately need to hear: You’re not alone. People see you. People care.

The Avilovas leave each school knowing they can’t solve these children’s problems. But they can do something equally important: remind them that they matter, that their struggles are real, and that their futures still hold possibilities.

One school at a time, they’re bringing hope to Ukraine’s hidden casualties, the children left behind when fathers go to war.

Village leaders play a key role in enabling people to change their mindset in the Oleksandrivka region. This year, we will focus on village leaders who supervise the Livelihoods initiatives Seeds of Hope and Chickens4Health in their communities.

These leaders will encourage Seeds of Hope participants to maintain their gardens and share produce with neighbors in need. They will also set a good example to